Construct Validity of Functional Capacity Tests in Healthy Workers

Overview

Journal BMC Musculoskelet Disord

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialties Orthopedics
Physiology

Date 2013 Jun 14

PMID 23758870

Citations 4

Authors

Sandra E Lakke

Remko Soer

Jan H B Geertzen

Harriet Wittink

Rob K W Douma

Cees P van der Schans

Michiel F Reneman

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Functional Capacity (FC) is a multidimensional construct within the activity domain of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health framework (ICF). Functional capacity evaluations (FCEs) are assessments of work-related FC. The extent to which these work-related FC tests are associated to bio-, psycho-, or social factors is unknown. The aims of this study were to test relationships between FC tests and other ICF factors in a sample of healthy workers, and to determine the amount of statistical variance in FC tests that can be explained by these factors.

Methods: A cross sectional study. The sample was comprised of 403 healthy workers who completed material handling FC tests (lifting low, overhead lifting, and carrying) and static work FC tests (overhead working and standing forward bend). The explainable variables were; six muscle strength tests; aerobic capacity test; and questionnaires regarding personal factors (age, gender, body height, body weight, and education), psychological factors (mental health, vitality, and general health perceptions), and social factors (perception of work, physical workloads, sport-, leisure time-, and work-index). A priori construct validity hypotheses were formulated and analyzed by means of correlation coefficients and regression analyses.

Results: Moderate correlations were detected between material handling FC tests and muscle strength, gender, body weight, and body height. As for static work FC tests; overhead working correlated fair with aerobic capacity and handgrip strength, and low with the sport-index and perception of work. For standing forward bend FC test, all hypotheses were rejected. The regression model revealed that 61% to 62% of material handling FC tests were explained by physical factors. Five to 15% of static work FC tests were explained by physical and social factors.

Conclusions: The current study revealed that, in a sample of healthy workers, material handling FC tests were related to physical factors but not to the psychosocial factors measured in this study. The construct of static work FC tests remained largely unexplained.

Citing Articles

Functional Capacity Evaluation in Upper Limb Reduction Deficiency and Amputation: Development and Pilot Testing.

Postema S, Bongers R, Reneman M, van der Sluis C J Occup Rehabil. 2017; 28(1):158-169.

PMID: 28397018 PMC: 5820400. DOI: 10.1007/s10926-017-9703-4.

Functional Capacity Evaluation Research: Report from the Second International Functional Capacity Evaluation Research Meeting.

James C, Reneman M, Gross D J Occup Rehabil. 2015; 26(1):80-3.

PMID: 26108156 DOI: 10.1007/s10926-015-9589-y.

Construct Validity of Functional Capacity Evaluation in Patients with Whiplash-Associated Disorders.

Trippolini M, Dijkstra P, Geertzen J, Reneman M J Occup Rehabil. 2014; 25(3):481-92.

PMID: 25385201 PMC: 4540755. DOI: 10.1007/s10926-014-9555-0.

Experts opinion on the use of normative data for functional capacity evaluation in occupational and rehabilitation medicine and disability claims.

Soer R, Reneman M, Frings-Dresen M, Kuijer P, Kuijer P J Occup Rehabil. 2014; 24(4):806-11.

PMID: 24659470 DOI: 10.1007/s10926-014-9507-8.

References

VanderZee K, Sanderman R, Heyink J . A comparison of two multidimensional measures of health status: the Nottingham Health Profile and the RAND 36-Item Health Survey 1.0. Qual Life Res. 1996; 5(1):165-74. DOI: 10.1007/BF00435982. View

Karasek R, Brisson C, Kawakami N, Houtman I, Bongers P, Amick B . The Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ): an instrument for internationally comparative assessments of psychosocial job characteristics. J Occup Health Psychol. 1998; 3(4):322-55. DOI: 10.1037//1076-8998.3.4.322. View

Ferreira P, Ferreira M, Maher C, Refshauge K, Latimer J, Adams R . The therapeutic alliance between clinicians and patients predicts outcome in chronic low back pain. Phys Ther. 2012; 93(4):470-8. DOI: 10.2522/ptj.20120137. View

BRUCE R, Kusumi F, Hosmer D . Maximal oxygen intake and nomographic assessment of functional aerobic impairment in cardiovascular disease. Am Heart J. 1973; 85(4):546-62. DOI: 10.1016/0002-8703(73)90502-4. View

Soer R, van der Schans C, Groothoff J, Geertzen J, Reneman M . Towards consensus in operational definitions in functional capacity evaluation: a Delphi Survey. J Occup Rehabil. 2008; 18(4):389-400. DOI: 10.1007/s10926-008-9155-y. View

Peolsson A, Hedlund R, Oberg B . Intra- and inter-tester reliability and reference values for hand strength. J Rehabil Med. 2001; 33(1):36-41. DOI: 10.1080/165019701300006524. View

Heerkens Y, Engels J, Kuiper C, van der Gulden J, Oostendorp R . The use of the ICF to describe work related factors influencing the health of employees. Disabil Rehabil. 2004; 26(17):1060-6. DOI: 10.1080/09638280410001703530. View

Reneman M, Kool J, Oesch P, Geertzen J, Battie M, Gross D . Material handling performance of patients with chronic low back pain during functional capacity evaluation: a comparison between three countries. Disabil Rehabil. 2006; 28(18):1143-9. DOI: 10.1080/09638280600551427. View

Baecke J, BUREMA J, Frijters J . A short questionnaire for the measurement of habitual physical activity in epidemiological studies. Am J Clin Nutr. 1982; 36(5):936-42. DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/36.5.936. View

10.

Crombez G, Vlaeyen J, Heuts P, Lysens R . Pain-related fear is more disabling than pain itself: evidence on the role of pain-related fear in chronic back pain disability. Pain. 1999; 80(1-2):329-39. DOI: 10.1016/s0304-3959(98)00229-2. View

11.

Stratford P, Balsor B . A comparison of make and break tests using a hand-held dynamometer and the Kin-Com. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1994; 19(1):28-32. DOI: 10.2519/jospt.1994.19.1.28. View

12.

Asante A, Brintnell E, Gross D . Functional self-efficacy beliefs influence functional capacity evaluation. J Occup Rehabil. 2007; 17(1):73-82. DOI: 10.1007/s10926-007-9068-1. View

13.

Reneman M, Geertzen J, Groothoff J, Brouwer S . General and specific self-efficacy reports of patients with chronic low back pain: are they related to performances in a functional capacity evaluation?. J Occup Rehabil. 2008; 18(2):183-9. PMC: 2668547. DOI: 10.1007/s10926-008-9129-0. View

14.

Lakke S, Soer R, Takken T, Reneman M . Risk and prognostic factors for non-specific musculoskeletal pain: a synthesis of evidence from systematic reviews classified into ICF dimensions. Pain. 2009; 147(1-3):153-64. DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2009.08.032. View

15.

Hall A, Ferreira P, Maher C, Latimer J, Ferreira M . The influence of the therapist-patient relationship on treatment outcome in physical rehabilitation: a systematic review. Phys Ther. 2010; 90(8):1099-110. DOI: 10.2522/ptj.20090245. View

16.

Alschuler K, Theisen-Goodvich M, Haig A, Geisser M . A comparison of the relationship between depression, perceived disability, and physical performance in persons with chronic pain. Eur J Pain. 2007; 12(6):757-64. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpain.2007.11.003. View

17.

Ariens G, Bongers P, Hoogendoorn W, Houtman I, van der Wal G, van Mechelen W . High quantitative job demands and low coworker support as risk factors for neck pain: results of a prospective cohort study. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2001; 26(17):1896-901; discussion 1902-3. DOI: 10.1097/00007632-200109010-00016. View

18.

Wittink H, Rogers W, Sukiennik A, Carr D . Physical functioning: self-report and performance measures are related but distinct. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2003; 28(20):2407-13. DOI: 10.1097/01.BRS.0000085304.01483.17. View

19.

Moreau C, Green B, Johnson C, Moreau S . Isometric back extension endurance tests: a review of the literature. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2001; 24(2):110-22. DOI: 10.1067/mmt.2001.112563. View

20.

Svestkova O . International classification of functioning, disability and health of World Health Organization (ICF). Prague Med Rep. 2009; 109(4):268-74. View