Why should I consider having a functional capacity evaluation after a work injury?

A functional capacity evaluation (FCE) is the gold standard in determining an individual’s ability to work. After injuring yourself at work, an FCE can be used to figure out how that injury might affect your ability to work in the future. An FCE can also be used to determine your treatment plan, and evaluate when or if you can return to work. 

Are you wondering if you can benefit from a functional capacity evaluation? Physical therapists can perform an FCE to objectively measure your abilities. This information can help inform you about the extent of your on-the-job capabilities. 

Getting a functional capacity evaluation after a work injury

If you injured yourself at work, you might want to have an FCE for a few reasons. The first is to determine your susceptibility for re-injury. The last thing you want to do after recovering from an injury is repeat the same mistakes. An FCE will also help you figure out when it is safe to return to work. You may feel better, but a lot of re-injuries occur when you push your body before it is actually fully healed. 

An FCE can also help determine what actions you can perform safely at your job. Injuring yourself could have occurred by accident, but it also could have been the result of months or even years of stress on the body. This can cause conditions that cannot be cured, like arthritis. This gradual buildup might signal that you can no longer perform the same tasks safely. An FCE will help determine what you can and cannot safely do at work. 

Do you need a functional capacity evaluation? Armor Physical Therapy has you covered

You don’t know what you don’t know, which is why an FCE can help give you the information you need to protect your body. Our expert team at Armor Physical Therapy is prepared to provide you an FCE today. Our team can help recommend treatments for any underlying conditions. We can also build you a personalized work hardening program to help you return to work with confidence.

Contact us today for more information about functional capacity evaluations or to schedule an initial appointment.