Value of functional capacity evaluation information in a clinical setting for predicting return to work

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Occupational Health
• Clinical Biomechanics

Background:

• Chronic musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) pose challenges for return to work (RTW).
• Functional Capacity Evaluations (FCEs) are used to assess patient readiness for RTW.
• The predictive accuracy of FCE information for RTW outcomes requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the predictive quality of Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) information for return to work (RTW) in patients with chronic musculoskeletal disorders.
• To determine the contribution of specific FCE parameters to RTW prediction.
• To assess the utility of FCEs in guiding rehabilitation and return-to-work strategies.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study of 220 patients undergoing inpatient rehabilitation for chronic MSD.
• FCE performed on admission, with questionnaires at admission and 1-year follow-up.
• Logistic regression models analyzed FCE data (physical capacity, failed tests, work recommendation) to predict RTW.

Main Results:

• 37.9% of patients did not achieve RTW at 1-year follow-up.
• All analyzed FCE information demonstrated a significant relationship with RTW (r=.28–.43, P<.05).
• While FCE information predicted RTW, the overall model quality and predictive efficiency were low, with a 5% increase upon integration.

Conclusions:

• A significant association exists between FCE information and RTW, independent of concurrent predictors.
• The predictive efficiency of FCEs for RTW is currently poor.
• The number of failed FCE tests appears significant for patients with uncertain RTW prognosis, suggesting potential for prediction rule development.