Test-retest reliability of lifting and carrying in a 2-day functional capacity evaluation

J Occup Rehabil. 2002 Dec;12(4):269-75. doi: 10.1023/a:1020274624791.

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to establish test-retest reliability of lifting and carrying of a functional capacity evaluation (FCE) on two consecutive days and to verify the need for a 2-day protocol. A cohort of 50 patients (39 men, 11 women) with nonspecific low back pain were evaluated using a 2-day FCE protocol. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated for weight lifted and carried. Predictive relationships between test and retest were explored by means of a regression analysis. The results of ICC were lifting low 0.87, lifting overhead 0.87, and carrying 0.77. Performances on day 2 were on an average 6-9% higher. Other than the amount of weight handled on day 1, no variable was found to predict performance on day 2. It was concluded that test-retest reliability of lifting and carrying was good, and the need for a 2-day protocol could not be confirmed.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lifting
  • Linear Models
  • Low Back Pain / diagnosis*
  • Low Back Pain / rehabilitation*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Physical Therapy Modalities / methods*
  • Probability
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Stress, Mechanical
  • Time Factors
  • Weights and Measures
  • Work Capacity Evaluation*