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Age and gender normative data for lift capacity

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Matheson, Leonard N.; | Verna, Joe; | Dreisinger, Thomas E. | Leggett, Scott | Mayer, John;

Affiliations: Vert Mooney Research Foundation, San Diego, CA, USA | EpicRehab, LLC, St. Louis, MO, USA | Spine and Sport, San Diego, CA, USA | University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

Note: [] Corresponding author: Dr. Leonard Matheson, EpicRehab, 188 Woodland Place Court, St. Charles, MO 63303, USA. Tel.: +1 636 346 8869; Fax: +1 636 898 0954; E-mail: Len@epicrehab.com

Keywords: Functional Capacity Evaluation, test safety, test reliability, norms, normal values

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-131671

Journal: Work, vol. 49, no. 2, pp. 257-269, 2014

Received 13 December 2012
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Accepted 14 March 2013
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Published: 2014
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Functional Capacity Evaluations (FCEs) are routinely used in physical medicine to ascertain an individual's work ability; with lift capacity being an important aspect of many evaluations. Despite the widespread use of lift capacity tests, there are few studies that provide age and gender normative data.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety, reliability, and validity of the EPIC Lift Capacity test, and to examine the effects of age and gender on lift capacity.

METHODS: This study used a test-retest design with 4,443 adult participants in good general health. Test-retest of participants' lift capacity was undertaken to examine safety and reliability. Age and gender and the self-reported physical demands of each employed participant's usual and customary job were collected to examine validity.

RESULTS: Safety and reliability were demonstrated for both measures of lift capacity for each of the six sub-tests in the EPIC Lift Capacity test battery. Inter-subtest differences and expected age and gender differences were found across all subtests.

CONCLUSIONS: The EPIC Lift Capacity test is a safe and reliable test of lift capacity.Normative data are presented that allow comparison within age and gender categories.

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