Functional Capacity Evaluation

A functional capacity evaluation (FCE) may be utilized to make an initial determination about how an injury (or illness) affects a person’s ability to work.  Our physical therapists at Peak Perforance Sports and Physical Therapy offer FCE services that are rooted in science and use objective standards to collect reliable information about current functional and vocational status and estimate potential function and work status.

What is a Functional Capacity Evaluation?

A 4 to 5-hour assessment designed to systematically determine an individual’s current functional abilities regarding a variety of activities. The evaluation includes an interview and history, self-assessment tools, and physical testing for position tolerances, mobility, and dynamic strength.

An FCE helps to answer questions like:

• Can a person return to work safely?
• What type of job can a person physically handle?
• What are the person’s safe lifting tolerances?
• What work accommodations could be made in order for the person to return to duty?
• What is the next appropriate step in regard to rehabilitation?
• What are the person’s cardiovascular and physical endurance limitations for working?
• What are the person’s positional tolerances for standing, sitting and walking?

Baseline FCE

We can provide a baseline FCE to determine whether a worker is fit to return to a wide range of activities, fit to return to some duties or unfit to return at the current stage of recovery.