ASSESSMENTS
Functional Abilities Evaluation
A functional abilities evaluation (FAE) is useful in determining a client's readiness to return to work after an injury, in making disability determinations, and in planning and monitoring an individual’s treatment and progress during rehabilitation. Through a methodical testing process, a functional abilities evaluation objectively and reliably determines the client’s ability to safely perform a variety of activities and compares his/her current performance levels to the demands of normal job tasks or activities of daily living.
An FAE has several primary goals:
• Objectively quantify the safe functional abilities of the client • Compare the physical abilities of the client to the physical demands of a job/activity, • and identify any discrepancies • Assess the client’s effort and identify any problems with consistency of effort, client • behaviour, or symptoms exaggeration • Determine if ergonomic accommodations or job modifications are necessary to assist • the client in returning to work or other activities • Provide recommendations for further treatment
CareerQuest’s FAE is conducted by a kinesiologist certified by the Ontario Kinesiology Association who is also a Certified Work Capacity Evaluator. We use the state of the art ARCON System to perform functional testing, including work simulation tasks, as it provides a precise data format that is useful in a variety of contexts. The FAE measures the client’s current level of physical functioning and includes several components: a musculoskeletal examination, measurement of physical impairment, assessment of functional abilities, and observation of client behaviour. Objective measurements of the client’s functioning are taken in several areas:
• Standing • Walking • Sitting • Climbing	• Lifting • Carrying • Pushing • Reaching	• Gripping • Fingering
The FAE generally takes four to six hours to complete over one to two days. A comprehensive report is then provided that includes raw data, conclusions regarding physical abilities, and recommendations to assist the individual in returning to work or other activities.