A note on Video
Why We Don't Allow Videotaping During FCEs
Occasionally we're asked whether a Functional Capacity Evaluation can be videotaped. The answer is no, and the reasoning is methodological.
A validated FCE protocol is a standardized procedure. The testing conditions, the evaluator's real-time observation, the sequence of measurements, and the environment are all part of what was validated in the research. Introducing an additional, unvalidated element — a camera, a permanent recording — changes the testing condition in a way the protocol wasn't designed to account for.
There's a related concern. Subjects in physical performance testing may change their behavior when they know they're being recorded — what's sometimes called the Hawthorne Effect. They may become more deliberate about appearing consistent across measurements, more guarded, or more dramatic. Whether and how much this happens varies by person, but the point is that it's an uncontrolled variable. Our methodology depends on consistent conditions across every evaluee, and we don't introduce variables we can't standardize.
The policy applies uniformly. Every FCE is administered under the same testing conditions regardless of who refers the case or which side the case may eventually favor. The deliverable is a written report with the data, the cross-validation findings, and the effort classification.
For more on how the protocol produces a defensible record, see the methodology page on this site.
Contact Us
Sam McKelvey, PT
POB 3324 Matthews NC, 28106
mobile: (704) 654 - 9838 email: smckelvey@restorationphysio.com
Physical Therapy Services by Restoration Physio
One on one physical therapy
Acute physical therapy when indicated, delivered one-on-one by the clinician — not handed off to technicians or aides. Treatment plans are individualized and focused on functional return.
Specialized Treatment Programs
Adjacent services applying the same evidence-based approach as the FCE: work conditioning, ergonomic evaluations, job demand analyses, and pre-employment and post-offer testing. Each supports specific case or employer objectives — return-to-work readiness, job-task matching, post-injury reconditioning.
