title: Use of job-specific functional capacity evaluation to predict the return to work of patients with a distal radius fracture.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the predictive validity of a job-specific functional capacity evaluation (FCE) in relation to the return to work of patients with a distal radius fracture.
  
  
  METHODS
  Return-to-work recommendations for 194 participants with a distal radius fracture were based on FCE performance. Three months after the evaluation, participants were contacted to ascertain their employment status to examine the predictive validity of each FCE-based rating.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The recommendation return to previous job (94.83%) was correct more often than the recommendations do not work at the moment (60.47%), change job (52.63%), and return to previous job with modifications (9.38%). A longer period from injury to FCE and compensable injury reduces the predictive ability of job-specific FCE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Job-specific FCE shows a better predictive validity in relation to the return to work of patients with a specific injury, such as a distal radius fracture, than of patients with a nonspecific injury.
authors.affiliation: Ergonomics and Human Performance Laboratory, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong. andy.cheng@polyu.edu.hk
authors.forename: Andy S K
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Stella W C
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation