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Reliability of upper extremity tests measured by the Ergos work simulator: a pilot study
Juliette M Boadella1, Judith K Sluiter, Monique H Frings-Dresen
1Coronel Institute for Occupational and Environmental Health, Academic Medical Center/University of Amsterdam, Research Institute for Health and Health Care Research (AmCOGG), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation
|December 16, 2003
Summary
Functional capacity evaluation (FCE) tests for the upper extremity demonstrate reliability over a 4-week period in healthy individuals. Some learning effects and time-of-day variations were noted in specific FCE subtests.
Area of Science:
- Occupational health
- Human performance
- Rehabilitation science
Background:
- Functional capacity evaluation (FCE) is crucial for assessing an individual's ability to perform work-related tasks.
- Understanding the reliability of upper extremity FCE tests is essential for accurate and consistent assessments.
- Factors like learning, test order, and time of day can potentially influence FCE results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the reliability of upper extremity functional capacity evaluation (FCE) tests.
- To investigate potential influences of learning effects, test intensity order, and time of day on FCE outcomes.
- To determine the consistency of FCE results over a 4-week period in healthy subjects.
Main Methods:
- An experimental within-subjects design was employed with 12 healthy participants.
- Participants underwent FCE tests focusing on sensibility, coordination, and strength of the upper extremity.
- Tests were administered in a counterbalanced order, with repeated testing over 4 weeks, considering morning/afternoon sessions.
Main Results:
- A learning effect was observed in the sensibility and coordination subtests of the upper extremity FCE.
- No significant order effect was found regarding the physical intensity of the subtests.
- A time effect was noted in coordination tasks, with keyboarding better in the morning and handling tasks better in the afternoon.
Conclusions:
- Repeated upper extremity FCE testing demonstrated reliability over a 4-week period in healthy subjects.
- Learning effects and time-of-day variations should be considered when interpreting FCE results for coordination and sensibility.
- The findings suggest that upper extremity FCE tests can be reliably administered, with specific considerations for certain subtests.