August 11, 2020
Combined Lift/Carry Tasks are True-to-Life
When it comes to lift/carry tasks, WebFCE understands it’s crucial to simulate real-life scenarios as accurately as possible. Many functional capacity tests tests separate lifting and carrying activities into individual tests (floor-to-waist, waist-to-shoulder, and shoulder-to-overhead lifts). But, as day-to-day life and routine work patterns usually demand combined lifting and carrying, these discrete tests usually do not replicate real world activities.
Keeping in line with NIOSH recommendations and the latest literature on standards for material handling during functional capacity testing, WebFCE’s testing employs the combined lift/carry tasks (instead of the standard floor-to-waist lift) to more accurately determine the client’s strength category. If the evaluator deems it beneficial, he or she can use individual lifts as an adjunct to evaluate a client’s lifting capabilities in a more detailed manner.
Advantages of Combined Lift/Carry Tasks
Research finds combined activity testing to be superior for several reasons. Combined material handling tests (lifting, carrying, and lowering):
- better simulates industrial situations
- allows for the formation of a relationship between individuals and combined activities
- can be predicted by simple strength testing, which itself can be conducted in less than five minutes
- can predict from strength testing directly, and do not require knowledge of individual capacities
Additionally, from a practical viewpoint, the isonertial combined strength tests are representative of actual lifting activities. Studies have shown that isoinertial strength is superior to isometric or isokinetic strength in terms of predictability, simplicity and task similarity. However, combining isoinertial activities has shown to be more appropriate than individual lifting tasks.
Studies have also shown that combined lifts are more stressful than individual lifts. This situation was reflected in heart-rate readings: the average heart rate for the combined activities was higher than the average heart rate for individual activities at the same frequency.
Rigoroius, Accurate Testing with WebFCE
WebFCE incorporates combined lifting, carrying, and lowering activities into our FCE to determine a person’s overall strength category (sedentary, light medium, heavy, or very heavy). We also offer optional individual lift and carry testing in addition to the combined material handling activities.
Call us now to set up a free demo!