Glendale, MO

Glendale, MO

Get back to work and the activities you love with Axes Physical Therapy in Glendale, MO.

Functional capacity evaluation in Glendale, MO. Functional capacity evaluations (FCE) play a crucial role in ensuring a safe and effective return to work for Glendale, MO residents who have incurred an injury at work. At Axes Physical Therapy, we specialize in providing detailed evaluations that help Glendale, MO citizens return to the activities they love and get back to their employment, providing for their families and supporting the community. We do what we do not just to assess your injury and recovery, but to assist you in returning to your best you safely and with confidence in your capabilities.

If you’re searching for a functional capacity evaluation in Glendale, MO, contact the Axes location nearest you or schedule an appointment online now.

What is a Functional Capacity Evaluation?

A functional capacity evaluation is a detailed series of examinations conducted to gauge the capabilities of an individual across different functions, particularly within work-related activities. It proves essential for Glendale, MO doctors, including physical therapists and occupational therapists, to evaluate a person’s capacity for work and functionally perform basic tasks. This assessment is extremely important if you are on the mend from a work-related injury or illness, and are aiming to resume work or require modifications in their job tasks based on their present functional capacity.

Here are some key aspects of functional capacity evaluations in Glendale, MO:

  • Purpose: The chief goal of a functional capacity evaluation is to evaluate physical abilities regarding job duties or daily activities. It’s frequently used in scenarios of workers’ compensation to determine if an employee can return to work after an injury, or what modifications might be needed to accommodate their current capabilities.
  • Components: A functional capacity evaluation commonly includes tests that measure strength, stamina, flexibility, and range of motion. It also evaluates the ability to carry out task-specific movements such as lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling.
  • Duration: The evaluation can last several hours to a full day, depending on the complexity of the individual’s condition and the specific needs of the work you want to return to.
  • Results: The results of a functional capacity evaluation can help in creating rehabilitation goals, determining if an individual can safely return to work, establishing disability claims, or in disputed workers’ compensation cases to specify the impact of the injury on your ability to work.
  • Use in Rehabilitation: Even outside of employment contexts, physical and occupational therapists may use functional capacity evaluations to observe progress and update treatment plans based on your progress or changes in functional status.

The results from a functional capacity evaluation help guide the rest of your treatment and rehabilitation. They provide definitive data that can help Glendale, MO health professionals, employers, insurance companies, and other relevant parties make well-informed decisions about whether or not a workers is ready to return to work and the type of modifications that might be needed to support this return. By understanding the restrictions and capabilities, everyone involved can collaborate to create a supportive and effective work environment that meets an individual’s recovery needs in Glendale, MO while upholding productivity.

At Axes Physical Therapy in Glendale, MO, the functional capacity evaluation process leverages the Bio-Ergonomics FCE system developed by Vic Zuccarello. This system integrates an understanding of biomechanics with ergonomics to provide a critically assessed, scientifically valid, and legally defensible assessment. This detailed approach ensures that the evaluation is extremely detailed but also customized to the individual’s unique job requirements in Glendale, MO and health status, facilitating a safe and effective transition back to work.

What to Expect During Your Functional Capacity Evaluation in Glendale, MO

Experiencing a functional capacity evaluation in Glendale, MO at Axes Physical Therapy consists of a structured process tailored to comprehensively assess your physical capabilities regarding your job demands. Here is what you can look forward to during the evaluation:

  • Pre-Evaluation Interview: A chat about your medical history, specific job requirements, and any questions you could present.
  • Standardized Testing: Includes a series of tests that measure your physical strength, endurance, flexibility, and other abilities applicable to your work.
  • Specific Task Simulation: Perform work-related tasks that replicate the actual activities you would carry out at work.
  • Cardiovascular Assessment: Measures your stamina and cardiovascular health, particularly your ability to carry out activities over an extended period of time.
  • Data Analysis and Reporting: After the evaluation, the data collected is examined to create a thorough report that outlines your capabilities and any limitations.

This method ensures a thorough assessment, supplying critical data to help prepare for your return to work or alter your work activities based on your current functional capacity.

Glendale, MO Functional Capacity Evaluations and Workplace Injury Recovery

A functional capacity evaluation is crucial in the healing and return-to-work process for Glendale, MO individuals who have incurred workplace injuries. By measuring an individual’s physical abilities in a detailed and scientifically validated manner, functional capacity evaluations fulfill multiple essential roles in the context of occupational health and safety. Here’s how the functional capacity evaluation impacts various stakeholders involved in workplace injury recovery:

  • Guidance for Physicians: Doctors use the factual data from functional capacity evaluations to better understand the extent of an injury and to advise appropriate medical or rehabilitation measures. It helps in formulating further treatment by describing physical limitations and capacities.
  • Decision-Making Tool for Employers: Employers benefit from functional capacity evaluations as they provide a definitive assessment of an employee’s functional status, informing decisions regarding the necessity for job accommodations, modifications, or even a change in role to match the employee’s current capabilities.
  • Support for Insurance and Legal Considerations: Insurance companies and legal professionals employ functional capacity evaluation results to formulate informed judgments about claims related to workers’ compensation. The Bio-Ergonomics FCE ensures that the evaluations are sustainable in court, providing robust evidence that upholds or challenges a claim.
  • Reassurance for the Injured Worker: For those injured at work, a functional capacity evaluation offers a credible, transparent assessment of what activities they can safely perform, mitigating the risk of re-injury by prematurely returning to work without appropriate accommodations. This process is essential to setting realistic expectations and assists the worker’s psychological recovery, confirming that their return to work is handled with care and precision.
  • Collaboration Among Parties: Functional capacity evaluation promotes a collaborative approach to an injured worker’s return to work. By developing a common understanding of the worker’s functional abilities, it helps align the goals of healthcare providers, employers, and insurance carriers, guaranteeing that all parties are working towards the most effective recovery plan.

Axes Physical Therapy’s Approach to Functional Capacity Evaluations in Glendale, MO

Axes Physical Therapy’s way to functional capacity evaluation is distinguished by its use of the Bio-Ergonomics FCE system, formulated by Vic Zuccarello in 2005. This method is recognized as the gold standard for FCE and work rehabilitation in Glendale, MO, and in both Missouri and Illinois for over three decades. Vic was viewed as the “go-to” expert by Glendale, MO physicians, case managers, adjusters, and attorneys highly disputed cases and the confidence to present in a deposition or court of law. The system implements his experience and an evidence-based protocol to identify test behaviors and to document clearly, ensuring the physician to determine maximal medical improvement (MMI).

Axes Physical Therapy prides itself on supporting effective recovery and safe return-to-work methodologies through meticulous and scientifically-backed functional capacity evaluations. Our method not only supports in accurately assessing an individual’s capacity to perform their job but also plays a critical role in managing the broader implications of work-related injuries in Glendale, MO.

Call Axes For Your Functional Capacity Evaluation in Glendale, MO

At Axes Physical Therapy in Glendale, MO, we are devoted to assisting our clients return to work and daily life through the precise, scientifically-backed functional capacity evaluation process. Using the Bio-Ergonomics FCE system developed by Vic Zuccarello in 2005, our evaluations are not only trustworthy and legally defensible but are also deeply rooted in a holistic approach to patient care. We aim to ensure that every patient can safely resume the activities and work they love, with a clear understanding of their capabilities and limitations.

If you or someone you know in Glendale, MO is healing from a workplace injury, consider a functional capacity evaluation with Axes Physical Therapy. Request an appointment online or call the Axes location nearest you. Together, let’s take a step towards a safe and effective recovery.

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