Functional Capacity Evaluation Flashcards

Which of the following is a PRIMARY biomechanical concern an FCE evaluator monitors during floor-to-waist lifting tasks?

Answer: Lumbar flexion with knees extended under load

Lifting with knees extended and lumbar flexion significantly increases compressive and shear forces on lumbar vertebrae, creating injury risk.

The Spearman-Rho correlation between isometric and dynamic lift testing in FCE research typically indicates:

Answer: Moderate to high correlation supporting the use of isometric measures as proxies

Research shows moderate to high correlation between isometric and dynamic measures, supporting isometric testing when dynamic testing poses safety risks.

A client reports 10/10 pain during all FCE tasks yet demonstrates full range of motion and no protective guarding behaviors. This pattern MOST likely indicates:

Answer: Possible symptom magnification warranting validity documentation

Discordance between reported pain intensity and observed physical behavior is a classic indicator for documenting performance validity concerns.

Which FCE component BEST assesses a client's ability to perform sustained sedentary work for vocational planning purposes?

Answer: Prolonged sitting tolerance assessment with postural observation

Sustained sitting tolerance testing with observation of postural changes directly measures capacity for sedentary occupational tasks.

Under ADA guidelines, an FCE conducted post-conditional job offer should be:

Answer: Conducted on all candidates in the same job category

Post-offer medical examinations, including FCEs, must be administered uniformly to all candidates entering the same job classification to comply with ADA.

The Functional Assessment Screening Tool (FAST) is MOST appropriate for use in which FCE context?

Answer: Brief screening to identify clients who need a comprehensive FCE

FAST and similar brief screening tools are designed to identify functional limitations requiring further comprehensive FCE evaluation rather than providing definitive capacity data.

In FCE documentation, 'validity of effort' refers specifically to:

Answer: The degree to which the client's performance reflects their true physical ability

Validity of effort addresses whether the client's demonstrated performance is a genuine representation of their functional capacity rather than submaximal effort.