Introducing a Better and More Complete Method for
Return-to-Work Testing for Injured Employees.
When an injured employee is out on disability
or workers’ comp leave, you want him back on
the job as quickly as possible. But bring him back
too soon and he could re-injure himself—causing
the expensive, frustrating cycle to start over again.Many companies rely on Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) testing to determine readiness to return to work. Problem is, despite their widespread acceptance, FCEs can’t provide the details of muscle function. These tests often miss muscle weaknesses that can leave an employee vulnerable physically—and his employer vulnerable financially.
We’re IPCS. And we provide a better way to test for readiness to return to work—especially in the case of shoulder and knee injuries, which account for some 40 to 45 percent of all disability/workers’ comp dollars spent.
Physical Capacity Evaluations Identify
Problems FCEs Often Miss.
PCE testing uses isokinetic technology to identify an injured worker’s current physical capability and measure how it compares to the physical demands of his job. Below is an example of one of our readiness-to-return to work force curve evaluations on a food service delivery driver who had suffered an ACL tear and had it repaired surgically:
The traditional FCE the employee had passed failed to detect the weakened knee extensor muscles revealed in the graphic at right! After this exam, IPCS provided him with an aggressive sports medicine reconditioning program. Six weeks later, a second PCE test showed normal force curves, and the employee went back to work and has continued for years with no further injury.
PCEs Are Much More Thorough in Every Way. Here’s Why:
Objectivity, as illustrated by the graphic on page one, is the main benefit of using PCE technology to determine readiness-to-return to work in regard to knee and shoulder injuries. It provides the company, physician, and injured worker with objective data and information that helps everyone make the right decision. (The fact that you can simulate the job using FCEs doesn’t necessarily mean critical major muscle groups are able to safely perform its essential function.)-
But, besides objectivity, PCE testing is also superior in other ways. For instance:
- It’s more cost effective. PCE tests are around half the cost of their FCE counterparts. What’s more, their accuracy prevents companies from putting workers’ comp and disability employees back to work too soon—a mistake often leading to serious re-injury.
- PCE testing holds up in court. The IPCS objective test results are legally defensible.
- The test itself is safer. PCE tests take far less time to administer. This means they’re far less likely than FCE tests to actually cause injuries during the testing process.
- You get fast results—but more important, you get accurate results.When IPCS does your returnto- work testing, you’ll have results within 24 hours. Yes, some FCE providers claim “instant” reporting, but that’s because they don’t rely on the (far more objective and accurate) force curves that must be analyzed by humans, not computers.
- It leads to fewer low back claims. The IPCS case studies clearly show those workers with strong shoulders and knees are less likely to have low back claims.
- We have a strong national network of test providers. We partner with more than 400 sports medicine clinics around the U.S. That means no matter where you’re based or how many locations you have, it’s fast and easy to get employees tested in a standardized manner throughout your operation.
- All data interpretation is done in our Hudson, Ohio, headquarters. That means our expertise is consistently applied. This enhances defensibility of the IPCS PCE.
- IPCS also provides standardized, objective physical capability testing for new hires and potential job transfers. Depending on size, this can save a company millions of dollars each year.
- We have a national reputation for excellence backed by three decades of experience. Founder and president Thomas B. Gilliam, Ph.D., has worked with hundreds of satisfied clients in the trucking, distribution, airline, manufacturing, and utility industries.
A Few Other Good Reasons to Choose IPCS for Return-to-Work Testing.
Most workers who experience injuries (either initially or re-occurring) on the job do so because of two very important reasons:- theworker was assigned to the wrong job category initially; the individual's physical capability was less than the physical demands of the job.
- the injured worker was not properly rehabilitated before returning to work.
Matching the physical capability of the worker to the physical demands of the job will substantially reduce soft tissue injuries. If an injury does occur, it is usually a first aid type of injury.
When a worker is mismatched and suffers an injury on the job, more than likely it is because the worker could not meet the physical demands of the job. If this worker returns to this same job, the injury will keep occurring and be more severe and more costly.
A rehab program that emphasizes sports medicine and whole body reconditioning will minimize the probability of re-injury.
Find out more about achieving & maintaining a healthy body weight! Visit our sister sites: HealthyBodyWeight.com & MoveItLoseItLiveHealthy