title: Functional capacity evaluations for the prevention of occupational re-injuries in injured workers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Functional capacity evaluation (FCE) has been widely used to assess workers' physical state of readiness to return to work (RTW) after an injury and to make recommendations for the time and capacity in which they might return. FCEs are also used to prevent re-injury after RTW. Despite being a commonly used tool, little is known about how effective FCE is in preventing occupational injuries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effectiveness of FCE-based return to work recommendations in preventing occupational re-injuries of injured workers compared with no intervention or alternative interventions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched the following electronic databases: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library 2009, Issue 4), MEDLINE (1966 to December 2009), EMBASE (1980 to December 2009), CINAHL (1980 to December 2009), PsycINFO (1983 to December 2009) and PEDro (1929 to December 2009). The searches were not restricted by date, language or type of publication.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of FCE-based return to work recommendations for preventing occupational re-injuries in injured workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four authors (NM, ES, JV, ML), in pairs, independently selected studies for inclusion, extracted data and assessed risk of bias.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found no studies that compared FCE to no intervention. We found one RCT with 372 participants in which a short-form of one FCE was compared to the standard long-form FCE (Isernhagen Work Systems). Outcomes were recurrence rates of re-injuries. There was no significant difference between the two forms of FCE.We rated the overall quality of the evidence as low.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is no evidence for or against the effectiveness of FCE compared to no intervention. A short version of FCE showed similar effectiveness to a long version in preventing re-injury. More RCTs are needed.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Cumberland Campus C42, 75 East St (PO Box 170), Lidcombe, NSW, Australia, 2141.
authors.forename: Norashikin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mahmud
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schonstein
authors.forename: Frederieke
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schaafsma
authors.forename: Marika M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Lehtola
authors.forename: Jean-Baptiste
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Fassier
authors.forename: Jos H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Verbeek
authors.forename: Michiel F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Reneman
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D006801:Humans; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*