Functional Capacity Evaluations (FCE’s) are performed to determine an individual’s functional abilities and limitations, in the context of safe, productive work tasks, in order to determine whether an individual has the physical abilities required to meet the physical demands of a job” – Journal Of Occupational Rehabilitation
A Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) is an assessment used to evaluate a person’s observed functional abilities, tolerances, and limitations based on standardized testing and clinical analysis. FCEs are commonly used in workers’ compensation matters, personal injury cases, disability claims, employment disputes, and medical malpractice cases.
Helpful For:
Plaintiff and Defense Attorneys, Personal Injury Attorneys, Medical Malpractice cases, Worker’s Compensation cases, Disability claims, legal proceedings
When to use:
Use for negotiating a settlement, mediation or settlement, completing insurance claims, determining eligibility for workers’ compensation or disability claims, established damages related to person daily life and work capacity
In the case of worker’s compensation a FCE is used to determine Return-to-Work capabilities to see whether the person is return to return to work, to either their original job or perhaps at light duty.
A FCE is used to identify potential work-place accommodations or modifications to help injured persons to return to work safely. Accommodations include work environment, work task, equipment or work hours.
If there is physical impairment or disability, an FCE may provide objective data relevant to evaluating functional limitations, work capacity, and disability-related issues.
We cover primarily South Florida Areas in Plantation, Sunrise,
Ft Lauderdale, and Miami
Receive a referral or request for evaluation from the appropriate referral source, such as a physician, attorney, insurer, or employer, depending on the matter
Review injured person’s medical records for past medical history and job duties
Perform a musculoskeletal screening for baseline physical capacity. Perform FCE with injured person to determine extent of limitations and capabilities
After completion of the FCE, analyze findings and summarize into a functional capacity report
FCE can be the critical proof that helps establish that the limitations preventing the persons from returning to work because it can help determine is accommodations are needed.
Doctor’s diagnosis is likely to be limited given that the doctor may not know exactly how much physical demand is required on the job. A simple diagnosis of “shoulder bursitis” does not say much about how a person’s strength, range of motion, or pain affect their ability to do their job. It might affect it a little, somewhat, or a lot. The answer is to use a FCE to make a closer approximation about how much the injured person can do in relation to their work duties.
During the FCE test, the examiner will encourage the injured person to put forth their best effort because there are built in mechanisms in the test to detect “malingering” and maximize objectivity. For example, it would be expected that the more intense the activity is to perform, the heart rate is should rise accordingly.
FCE findings reflect performance during the evaluation and should be interpreted within the context of the referral question, medical record, and other available information.
The FCE type and duration are dependent on the needs of the case.
In general, the more serious the injury, the longer the duration of test is needed. However it is not always the case.
But occasionally, An injured person may have a minor injury, but their job may very physically demand so it likely would increase the time needed for a more conclusive FCE. It is best to reach out to us to help you choose what is necessary.
No. The FCE is used by your physician to assign a permanent physical restrictions. The FCE evaluator will normally make some recommendations on what the injured person can or cannot do, and the physician will go over the result, but also have the discretion to make modifications.