Functional Capacity Evaluations

What is a Functional Capacity Evaluation?

A Karp Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) is used in the rehabilitation process to objectively measure your functional ability to perform personal and/or job-related tasks.  An FCE is an evidence-based way to demonstrate your strengths and limitations while at work and will help your FCE evaluator determine if your current abilities match your job demands. If these areas do not match, your FCE evaluator may be able to recommend rehabilitation, accommodation, and/or compensation strategies that may help you return to work safely and may help with your activities of daily living.

A Functional Capacity Evaluation is an objective way to analyze your job demands and physical demands. In order to provide meaningful, feasible recommendations, your FCE evaluator will interview you about your job duties and perform standardized assessments that relate the skills required for your job. The standardized assessments may look at your standing or sitting tolerance or your ability to walk, squat, bend, lift, push or pull for sustained periods of time, as well as your strength, joint range of motion, and finger dexterity.

Your FCE evaluator’s objective observations will lead to a comprehensive report. The report will provide detail pertaining to your current physical abilities, your job demands, and if your current abilities match your job demands. Should there be areas that don’t match, your FCE evaluator may recommend potential interventions, such as a return to work program that focuses on proper body mechanics or further assessment to determine other jobs that you would be competitively employable for.

Cognitive FCEs are also available to address cognitive and behavioural challenges. Click here to learn more.


To begin a Karp FCE assessment, either contact us today or complete an online referral form!