Monday 28 November 2011

Functional Capacity Evaluation



Functional Capacity Evaluation is also commonly known as Physical Capacity Evaluation, Work Capacity Evaluation and Functional Capacity Assessment. It is informally known as functional testing. It is the evaluation of a person’s physical tolerance capacity with regard to flexibility, endurance and musculoskeletal strength. It is an intensive one day test and its goal is to concentrate on the injured person’s functional ability rather than the ability to endure pain.

The test is done by a skilled Functional Capacity Evaluator who uses a number of standard tests which are designed considering factors like impairment, functional limitation of pain,diagnosis, and so on. Through functional testing and other standardized measurements, a     person’s flexibility, endurance strength and skill are measured for assessing his job fitness.
Functional Capacity Evaluation is used as a clinical as well as standardization tool for defining a person’s change from injury to employability.

Considered as one of the most important and reliable tool for measurement of an individual’s transition from injury to employability, this tool is used by case managers, physicians as well as employers to evaluate whether the person concerned could be successfully made to return to his job.

One can browse through the Internet to view sample evaluations and get an idea of what it is all about.