Heart rate changes in functional capacity evaluations in a workers' compensation population

Objective: Functional Capacity Evaluations (FCEs) have been utilized by healthcare professionals for over twenty years to provide an objective assessment of an individual's ability to safely perform functional work activities. Biomechanical observations have been established as a reliable method of determining safe maximal performance levels during dynamic lift testing in FCEs. The purpose of this study is to evaluate heart rate (HR) responses between participants in two performance levels (biomechanical safe-maximal and sub-maximal) and to attempt to establish a minimum threshold for HR changes that should be expected during specific functional testing protocols within FCEs. Participants: Participants included 500 men and women aged 20 to 85 years whom were injured on the job. Methods: Variables measured included resting HR, pre-test HR, peak-HR, and resting blood pressure. Percent HR change was calculated for the safe-maximal and sub-maximal performance level groups. Results: Statistically significant differences (p = 0.0000000306) were found in HR change from pre-test to peak HR between performance level groups. Conclusions: Statistically significant differences were found in percent change in pre-test to peak HR, between the safe-maximal and sub-maximal performance level groups. This study provides the foundation for further research in establishing appropriate minimum expected changes in HR during FCE testing allowing clinicians to make more confident judgments relative to performance level.