Farmington Valley Physical Therapy is currently negotiating with companies so we can offer Functional Capacity evaluations.

Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) is a systematic process of assessing an individual's physical capacities and functional abilities. The FCE matches human performance levels to the demands of a specific job or work activity or occupation. The FCE establishes the physical level of work an individual can perform. The FCE is useful in determining job placement, job accommodation, or return to work after injury or illness. FCEs can provide objective information regarding functional work ability in the determination of occupational disability status.

The FCE is a significant tool that can be used to make objective and reliable assessments of the individual's condition. Its precise data format provides information that can be used in various contexts. The FCE may be used:

• To determine the individual's ability to safely return to work full time or on modified duty
• To determine if work restrictions, job modifications, or reasonable accommodations are necessary to prevent further injury
• To determine the extent to which impairments exist, or the degree of physical disability for compensation purposes
• To predict the potential ability to perform work following acute rehabilitation or a work- hardening/work- conditioning program

The functional capacity evaluation assesses the individual's flexibility, strength, balance, coordination, cardiovascular condition, and body mechanics. An effective FCE determines whether there is a match between the individual's functional capabilities, and the physical demands of work. Typically, an FCE focuses on a job goal rather than on individual aptitudes, interest, and temperaments. The individual's psychosocial behaviors are assessed in relation to appropriate worker traits. There are two types of FCE:

• Baseline FCE -- An objective assessment of the individual's physical abilities to perform a variety of tasks related to the physical demands of work
• Job specific FCE - An evaluation of the individual's physical abilities to function within the parameters of an identified job. The job specific FCE is based on critical physical demands of the essential functions of the job. Work simulation activities are often an integral component of the evaluation.

FCEs are done on an intensive one-to-one basis and range in length for 2 to 6 hours. The FCE may take place over two consecutive days