Physical / Functional Capacity Assessment Services:

Physical / Functional Capacity Assessment Services:

What are Physical / Functional Capacity Assessments?

Functional Capacity Assessments are a series of standardised tests used to assess an injured workers ability to perform certain activities and tasks, normally relating to their job but perhaps also their home duties if these are also affected. They are an additional source of information and used to supplement information gathered during workplace assessments and from medical personnel.

About our Assessments:

We use standardised tests when assessing all injured workers. This ensures consistency and integrity.

We explain to all parties, especially the injured employee what we are doing and why.

We treat all employees with dignity and respect.

Employees are given advance notice of the requirement for a physical / functional capacity assessment.

All employees are offered the opportunity to have another person present at the assessment.

The assessment takes place at a time and place that is suitable for the injured employee.

Liaison occurs with the treating doctor before and after the assessment.

The results of the assessment are comprehensively documented and given to all parties, in report form within 4 working days of the assessment taking place.

The report specifically articulates each physical / functional capacity affected.

Recommendations / suggestions are made where required about how to manage the affected capacity i.e. “incapacity” – assisting or minimising further “incapacity”, stabilising and / or assisting with the recovery of the injury.

Evaluation is a dynamic process in which the evaluator makes professional, clinical judgments based on data gathered during the evaluation. Such judgments will be reinforced by other evidence if available.

Safety while undertaking assessments is of paramount importance to prevent further injury. The injury / condition must be medically stable before undertaking any assessments.

Observing and assessing non-physical behaviour is an important part of the assessment process. Behavioural aspects are directly relevant to the interpretation of the results and recommendations for work capacity.

Examples of functional capacity assessments:

Assessment of functional abilities should be undertaken over a range of physical demands. The physical demands assessed during the evaluation should be relevant to the nature of the worker’s injury and the physical demands of the specified duties/jobs in question. The following components may be assessed:

􀂃 pushing/pulling 􀂃 lifting 􀂃 carrying 􀂃 crouching 􀂃 kneeling 􀂃 stooping

􀂃 bending 􀂃 standing 􀂃 sitting 􀂃 walking 􀂃 climbing 􀂃 crawling

􀂃 overhead reaching 􀂃 forward reaching 􀂃 handling 􀂃 fingering 􀂃 gripping 􀂃 feeling.