Functional Capacity Evaluations
A Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) is a systematic tool used to measure a person's capacity to perform physical demands. These standardized assessments are performed by certified evaluators, and they compare a person's current functional level to specific job-related demands.
At Progressive Physical Therapy, we perform FCEs on our patients because we think physicians, workers' compensation case managers, attorneys, and patients can benefit from the information we discover.
During the FCE, we gather important information about a patient, including his or her injury history and the results to the following screenings and tests: Musculoskeletal Screen, Aerobic Capacity Assessment, Static Isometric Consistency Test, Material Handling Test, and Positional Tolerance Test. At the conclusion of our evaluation, we're able to determine whether or not the patient meets the physical demands to safely return to work at full duty. If the patient is not yet ready to return to work, we recommend a work conditioning program to prevent re-injury on the job.
A Functional Capacity Evaluation should be performed on persons who meet the following criteria:
- Persons who have been injured on the job and are reluctant to return to work at his or her pre-injury level.
- Persons who have been restricted from regular work duties or who have been out of work for an extended period of time.
- Post-surgical patients and others who have had a complicated recovery from injury.
- Persons who have experienced de-conditioning after extended periods of inactivity.
- Persons who have demonstrated functional or physical inconsistencies during physician and therapy consults.
- Persons who are seeking disability.
- Persons who have sustained injuries and are involved in litigation.
