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Functional Capacity Evaluations – Functional capacity evaluations are designed to evaluate a person’s recovery from injury as well as their ability to perform functional work tasks. Job applicants and people who are returning to work after recovering from an injury or illness are required to undergo these evaluations. If a job requires pulling, pushing, carrying, or any other form of physical exertion, it is crucial to evaluate the fitness of workers for workplace safety.
Should You Take a Functional Capacity Evaluation?
Typically a functional capacity evaluation will be ordered by physicians, workman comp case managers, or attorneys. Take a functional capacity evaluation to ensure that you don’t jeopardize your co-workers’ health or your own because it’s possible for a seemingly healed muscle or joint to buckle under strenuous conditions.
Working with a half-healed injury can put you back at square one of recovery. It’s better to take a functional capacity evaluation to get insights into the healing process and learn whether it’s safe for you to return to work at full capacity or not. Additionally, you can make worker’s compensation claims depending on the severity of your injury or illness as determined by the evaluation.
It’s in the best interest of employers to get a functional capacity evaluation of their new applicants and the return-to-work status of current workers, as it is the best way to ascertain whether the applicants and returning workers have the necessary physical capacity to do the job. The evaluation can also help employers avoid any workers’ compensation claim disputes.
How is Functional Capacity Evaluation Performed?
The evaluation is a series of tests that produce an objective report about an individual’s physical fitness. It is usually conducted by a licensed therapist, or physician. The evaluation starts with an interview and examination of the subject’s medical history.
The physical exercises are designed to put your endurance, strength, range of motion, and flexibility to the test. Common functional capacity evaluation tests include:
- Pushing
- Pulling
- Carrying
- Lifting
- Standing
- Walking
- Balancing
- Kneeling
- Crouching
- Crawling
- Stooping
- Hand-eye coordination
- Hand/finger manipulation
- Hand/finger grasp strength
- Other job specific functions
While performing these tests, a professional will measure your pain level and help manage it. The test is done on a one-on-basis and can take 4-6 hours. The number of hours can vary depending on the number of tests you will be taking and the severity of the injury. Mountain View Physical Therapy provides a functional capacity evaluation in Salt Lake City and the surrounding areas. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Psychological functional capacity evaluations measure a person’s ability to perform cognitive and psychological tasks. Though, it’s not as popular as the physical evaluation and is more applicable to the elderly or people who have suffered trauma.
Importance of Functional Capacity Evaluations
- It gives objective results
Functional Capacity Evaluations give a snapshot of a worker’s ability to do specific job functions. It also provides recommendations for any altering that may be required to make the job duties safer. The outcomes are purely objective. The employers and workers get a definite answer to whether or not the worker is fit to return to work. It can also help the workers return with a reduced capacity if the recovery is taking too long.
- It ensures the safety of the individual and their co-workers
A fresh injury to the recovering muscle or joint can be a major setback for the worker, as they can lose many work hours if they return to work without completing their recovery. Unrecovered individuals are a hazard to their co-workers as well. Employers and workers should encourage functional capacity evaluations to minimize workplace injury and downtime at work.
- It prevents insurance fraud
A functional capacity evaluation puts the workers and employers on the same page regarding the worker’s compensation claims. There’s no room for fraud and the workers get the financial aid they deserve. The worker can use this evaluation to claim compensation, social security, and other benefits.
Functional Capacity Evaluation in Salt Lake City
Mountain View Physical Therapy offers functional capacity evaluation in Salt Lake City and the surrounding areas. We have certified therapists who will happily guide you through the entire process and provide an accurate recovery report. Contact us today!
Or learn more at the National Library Of Medicine
The post What are Functional Capacity Evaluation? first appeared on Mountain View Physical Therapy.
The post What are Functional Capacity Evaluation? appeared first on Mountain View Physical Therapy.
