The ultimate goal for every injured worker and their employer is returning to work. In the best case scenario, the worker will be able to return at full physical capacity. They should be able to perform all the essential functions and tasks of their job without risk of re-injury. Employers and medical providers use functional capacity evaluations (FCEs). The most common reason is to determine an individual’s readiness to return to work.

But you can use FCEs for other purposes, too. Dr. Joseph J. Chen is a researcher in the field of physical rehabilitation. He offers five reasons to conduct functional capacity evaluations: 

• To create a treatment program
• To measure a patient’s physical abilities before and after rehabilitation
• To make changes to a plan of care
• To establish whether an injured worker is able to work
• To determine when he or she is ready to return to work

How Does Your Company Benefit?

Conducting functional capacity evaluations is the accepted process to resolve workers’ comp claims. It tells you whether rehab has been successful. Is the person ready to return to work – with or without some type of accommodation? As an employer, you benefit even if your injured worker returns only part-time or on light duty to start. Partial work helps maintain company productivity. It also reduces costs associated with that workers’ comp claim.

Your injured worker also benefits from early return to work. Getting back on the job boosts morale. It also helps your employee stay connected with his or her job and colleagues. That increases their motivation to continue rehab. It also enhances job satisfaction. Perhaps most important, it relieves your injured worker’s worries about finances. Constant worry often leads to depression. That can de-motivate injured workers to comply with their treatment plan.

Glyn Smith, director of Work Fit Occupational Physiotherapy at Personnel Today states that, "the first thing a physiotherapist should get to grips with, in assessing fitness for work, is the nature of the client or employee’s work: look at overall job demands; undertake task analyses; and ask for job descriptions. Unless the expectations are understood, it is impossible to assess fitness relative to these demands." Tweet this quote.

FCE testing can help show whether partial return to work is a viable option. The evaluator can treat components of the test as a sliding scale of ability, not an all-or-none “score.” That makes it easier to measure whether a worker with lingering problems has functional limitations or is truly disabled.Obviously, this part of the evaluation is somewhat subjective. That underscores the importance of choosing the right evaluator to conduct your FCE tests.

Functional capacity evaluations are usually conducted at a clinic or similar “neutral” location. The specific tests may aim to replicate job conditions. But the physical therapist administering the tests may be a generalist. They may not work with injured workers on a regular basis. The best evaluator is a physical therapist who specializes in treating occupational injuries. They have the greatest hands-on experience with workers like yours.

PhysNet physical therapists provide therapy sessions at your worker’s jobsite. They can see their patient’s actual job tasks and work environment. That enables them to select the best FCE testing methods and techniques. And it allows them to use their special knowledge and insight to better assess the results. In fact, they can develop a treatment plan that is 100% personalized right from the start. When treatment relates directly to the worker and their job, it progresses faster. It also produces better results.

So when it comes time for functional capacity evaluations, your injured worker is more likely to pass with flying colors.