A 2024 study with 51 healthy people found that doing Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) tests like reaching and lifting overhead through video calls was very accurate, with scores between 0.85 and 0.98. This confirms that the reliability of these tests holds true in both remote settings. No matter how they’re done, FCEs remain a valuable way to assess a person’s physical capabilities.
A Functional Capacity Evaluation checks how well a person can do physical tasks like lifting, reaching, or standing. It is often used after a work-related injury to determine if someone is ready to return to work. Learn what FCE means, why it matters, and how it can help in our simple guide.
If you have injured yourself at work, it is possible that at some point one of your treating doctors will recommend that you undergo a Functional Capacity Evaluation – also known as an FCE. If that happens, you will probably wonder – what is an FCE? And how could it affect my workers’ compensation case? They are very good questions, and we are here you to provide you with the answers. Let’s go through a hypothetical to help you understand FCEs in workers’ comp from a workers’ compensation lawyer.
You were completely healthy until you injured your back and knee when you slip and fall at work at the factory on grease. You go to your employer’s occupational doctor who restricts you to no lifting of more than 20 pounds, occasional walking, and occasional bending. Because your job requires you to be on your feet almost the entire day and regularly lift items which weigh in excess of 50 pounds, you are unable to perform your job. The workers’ compensation insurance company for your employer starts to pay you weekly benefits.
For the first 90 days following your work injury, you treat with the occupational doctor, participate in physical therapy, and undergo MRIs to your low back and knee. After the 90 days, when Pennsylvania workers’ compensation law provides that you can treat with the doctors of your choice, you begin treatment with a chiropractor and pain management/physical medicine physician. You attempt chiropractic treatment for a few months, and it helps alleviate your back and knee pain temporarily but nothing more. You take medication daily and it makes your pain more tolerable but does not come close to eliminating it. Your physician suggests that you undergo an injection to your back, which you agree to because you are determined to do everything you can to get better and return to work. The injection affords you 50% pain relief, but then your pain comes back full throttle.
Your pain management physician refers you to an orthopedic surgeon for an evaluation. The surgeon confirms that you have back and knee injuries but does not think you are a surgical candidate, as surgery will not improve your condition. You become increasingly frustrated with your situation.
A year after your injury, the insurance company sends you to an evaluation with one of its doctors. The insurance company is entitled to have you evaluated every 6 months through independent medical evaluations. They are hardly independent evaluations because the doctor is hired by the insurance company and usually renders opinions about the injured worker which are favorable to the insurance company. You attend the evaluation, and the doctor completes a physical capacities report, estimating your ability to stand, sit, walk, lift, bend, squat, and participate in other activities. Most notably, the insurance company doctor states that you are now able to lift 30 pounds frequently, bend frequently, and stand/walk up to six hours a day. When a doctor completes a physical capacities report, it is not based on any formal testing. The doctor considers your complaints, his examination findings, and the results of the MRIs and other diagnostic tests (maybe a nerve study called an EMG) and estimates how long you can engage in various activities.
Can your workers’ comp benefits get suspended? The workers’ comp. insurance company very well may rely on the doctor’s physical capacities report in an attempt to reduce your workers’ compensation benefits. Suppose that your employer is able to offer you a modified-duty position which will require you to lift up to 30 pounds, bend throughout the day, and be on your feet up to six hours in an eight-hour day. Much as you are eager to return to work because not working has caused you to become depressed, you know that your back and knee injuries will prevent you from handling the requirements of this job. You decline the job offer, and the insurance company files a petition to suspend your workers’ comp benefits, which goes before a Workers’ Compensation Judge.
Fearful that your workers’ comp benefits are going to be cut off based on a job that you are sure you cannot handle, you discuss the situation with your pain management doctor who writes you a ‘script for an FCE. Your doctor explains that the results of this test could provide objective data that you are not able to perform the duties of the modified-duty job. He suggests that you undergo the FCE at a nearby physical therapy facility under the direction of a licensed physical therapist.
An FCE is a very comprehensive medical test that checks what your body can do after a work injury. It takes about 6 hours. Your ability to lift, bend, walk, stand, balance, and grip, among other activities, are tested. The results of the test are detailed in a lengthy report, as long as 20 pages, which are provided to your doctor. The therapist has concluded in the FCE that the maximum weight you can lift is 13 pounds, and you can only do this on an occasional basis. You are only able to tolerate standing for 15 minutes at a time and 35 minutes in an hour. The therapist is also able to determine whether the results of the test are valid. Unfortunately, some people do not put forth their best effort when they participate in an FCE, and the therapist will conclude that the results are invalid. On the other hand, if you put forth your best effort, and we are sure you will – you lift as much as you can, walk for as long as you can – the therapist will determine the results of the test are valid, which will further bolster the conclusion that you can only lift 13 pounds and stand for up to 35 minutes in an hour. When your doctor does a deposition in your workers’ compensation case, he can rely on the results of the FCE, which will improve the chances that the Judge will find that the modified-duty position offered by your employer is beyond your physical capabilities, and therefore your benefits should not be suspended.
The entire test typically lasts four to six hours. However, the duration may vary depending on the severity of your injury. A physical or occupational therapist will guide you through a list of physical tasks during the test, which includes the following:
Everything is measured carefully and recorded in a report that can be 15 to 20 pages long. Some parts of the FCE may feel hard or tiring, especially if your injury is serious. That’s okay — the workplace injury assessment is not meant to see if you’re perfect, but to show your true limits.
An FCE matters because it gives real proof of what your body can safely do after an injury. Insurance companies might send you to an Independent Medical Exam (IME), where their doctor might say you’re ready to work, even if you’re not. An FCE gives your doctor solid results to push back and protect you.
It shows clear numbers about your physical abilities. That helps prove whether a job offer is safe for you, making understanding FCE results crucial. If the work goes beyond your limits, your lawyer can use the test to fight for your benefits.
Most FCEs happen when your treatment is almost done and your condition has stopped improving. This particular stage is referred to as Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI). Your doctor or the insurance company may order the test to see what kind of work you can still handle.
FCEs are also used when there’s a disagreement about your abilities. If a doctor says you’re ready to work but you don’t feel that way, your lawyer might request an FCE. The test gives clear results that can help settle the issue.
An FCE and an IME are both used in workers’ comp cases, but they serve different roles. One of the main functional evaluation benefits includes measuring what your body can do, like lifting, walking, or balancing, which is usually done by a physical therapist. An IME, on the other hand, is a medical exam by a proficient doctor chosen by the insurance company to give an opinion about your condition.
Yes, if you feel the FCE does not reflect your true condition, you can challenge the results. Sometimes, the evaluator may think you didn’t give full effort or that the results don’t match your other records. Your doctor or lawyer can review the test and request a second opinion or another evaluation.
If the test results are valid but still seem wrong, your workers’ comp lawyer can help show that the tasks were not a fair match for your job duties. They may also argue that your pain or fatigue was not fully considered.
The FCE process may play a big role in your case. As such, it’s important to prepare for it and know your rights. Here’s what to note.
Sometimes the FCE might allow you to do some work, but not the kind your employer is offering. In that case, your lawyer may argue that the job offer is not suitable and your benefits should stay in place.
Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) results help show how an injury affects job duties in workers’ compensation claims. Whether done in person or remotely, these tests give valuable insight into your physical abilities. Understanding the process can help you feel more confident and prepared. Please call a workers’ comp lawyer at Pearson Koutcher Law once a FCE is prescribed by ANY provider as there may be reasons NOT to undergo the test.
Whether or not your doctor recommends that you undergo an FCE, workers’ compensation cases are complicated and contentious. It is important that you are represented by a competent, experienced workers’ comp lawyer. At Pearson Koutcher Law, workers’ comp. is all we do. Every one of our lawyers has at least 20 years of experience representing injured workers and will make sure that your rights are fully protected so your benefits are not cut off when they should not be. Please call us for a free, comprehensive evaluation.