Attorneys at Strong & Hanni are often faced with a claimant who is alleging that a personal injury has impacted his or her ability to work and engage in daily activities. In this situation, a standardized objective evaluation of the claimant’s ability to perform tasks related to the physical demands of their job and daily living is helpful. When such an evaluation is needed, we often turn to Dell C. Felix for a functional capacity evaluation.  The following is a short synopsis by Mr. Felix of the program components, features and benefits of a functional capacity evaluation.

Returning to activities like work, sports, hobbies, and many activities of daily living can be a challenge following an accident, surgery, or an extended illness.  A tool to measure what level of function an individual can sarely participate in is a Funcational Capacity Evaluation (FCE).  This is an evaluation usually performed by a trained Physical or Occupational Therapist who conducts the assessment that objectively identifies and measures functional strength, endurance, manual dexterity, and positional tolerances.

A typical FCE consists of the following:

• Intake Interview - health history; work experience; pain levels; current perceived funtonal levels
• Physical Examination - blood pressure; oxygen saturation level; heart rate; active range of motion; circumferential or volumetric measurements; brief neurologic assessment; non-organic testing (symptom magnification)
• Maximum Voluntary Efffort Testing - formal grip strength testing; pinch strength testing; isometric push/pull testing; isometric lifting testing; manual torque strenght testing
• Lifting/Carrying/Push-Pull Strength - single handed lifts from floor to overhead; safe occasional (maximal) box lifts; carrying; push and pull car;, frequent testing of lifting and carrying
• Positional Tolerance - sitting; standing; walking; climbing (stairs, ladder); crawling, stooping, kneeling, etc; balance
• Manual Dexterity Testing - typing; fine finger dexterity; whole body reaching; tool use
• Work Specific Tasks - BTE work simulator; dolley, push/pull cart, suitcases, etc; specific work tasks
• Repeated Consistent Efforts - 50 ft. speed walk; repetitive reach; grip/pinch tests; range of motion (observed vs. measured)

Benefits of an FCE:

• Determine category of work based on U.S. Dept. of Labor
  • Sedentary – Lift up to 10 lb. occasionally
  • Light – Lift/carry up to 20 lb. occasionally and 10 lb. frequently
  • Medium – Lift/carry up to 50 lb. occasionally and 20 lb. frequently
  • Heavy – Lift/carry up to 100 lb. occasionally and 50 lb. frequently
  • Very Heavy – Lift/carry >100 lb. occasionally and > 50 lb. frequently
• Identify current functional ability and activity tolerance
• Match functional testing with job requirements for safe return to work
• Document comparative strengths between injured vs. non-injured extremities
• Identify consistent and credible behaviors
• Validate consistency of effort

Testing of an individual’s tolerance of functional activities through a Functional Capacity Evaluation performed by a trained therapist can be a safe and effective way to document credible efforts, abilities, and functional strengths of a person who has gone through the process of an injury or disease.   This evaluation will also help in gaining a better understanding why some people have limitations in returning to full activity.   FCEs also help physicians, employers, attorneys, and the injured individual themselves understand what activities they are able to safely participate in and what they can tolerate without the guessing.

FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT REHAB & Physical Therapy
4031 So. Main Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84107
(801) 263-2063 office, (801) 263-3062

Introduction paragraph provided by Jeremy G. Knight and Article provided by Dell C. Felix