Physical Capacity Evaluations
What is a Physical Capacity Evaluation?
As the name implies, a Physical Capacity Evaluation (PCE) is an evaluation which assesses an individual's capacity to perform physical activities. It is a systematic evaluation of an individual's ability to perform various work-related tasks. Some of these tasks are listed below:
- Lifting
- Carrying
- Pushing
- Pulling
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- Stair climbing
- Ladder climbing
- Fine motor ability
- Hand grip strength
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- Reaching
- Sitting
- Standing
- Walking
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- Kneeling
- Bending
- Squatting
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The PCE is administered by a licensed physical therapist and takes approximately four hours to complete. During this time, the therapist will devote an entire morning or afternoon of one-on-one time with the individual to obtain an accurate assessment of his or her capabilities.
When is a Physical Capacity Evaluation useful?
A PCE is useful when an individual has been injured on the job and there is a question as to whether the individual is ready to return to work in a safe manner. Since a PCE indicates what an individual is capable of performing safely, this information may be compared with the requirements for a particular job. If the individual meets or exceeds the requirements, then he or she is ready to return to work. If the individual does not meet the requirements, this information may be used as a baseline for implementation of a work hardening or work conditioning program to help get the individual back to that level. If it is decided that the individual will not be able to return to his or her job of injury and retraining is required, the evaluation can help match the individual to a new occupation.
