functional impairments

Possible Functional Impairment Limitations

ERS provides functional capacity evaluations that clearly document your client’s abilities and /or limitations. This includes an assessment of a person’s current abilities to perform routine daily self care and homemaking activities, childcare, work tasks and pursue recreational endeavors. This information is coordinated with an objective assessment of their mobility, strength, endurance, sensibility and manipulation skills; lifting and carrying, sitting and standing tolerances.

IDENTIFIED PROBLEM AREA	POSSIBLE FUNCTIONAL IMPAIRMENTS
Back	• Limited sit & stand tolerances • Limited capacities to bend, lift & carry, push & pull • Difficulty performing lower body dressing & bathing • Difficulty transferring to low seats • Difficulty caring for young children • Reduced concentration, secondary to pain
Neck	•Limited tolerance for downward viewing when reading or performing table top activities • Limited rear viewing while driving • Increased pain and radicular arm symptoms with overhead arm elevation • Limited tolerance for repeated hand/arm usage • Difficulty performing upper body dressing, bathing & grooming
Shoulder/ Elbow	• Limited physical capacities to perform unilateral and bilateral lifts & carries •Limited reach capacities •Difficulty performing upper body dressing, bathing & grooming; and hand to face motions • Difficulty positioning hand for manipulation tasks • Difficulty maintaining hand/arm at keyboard • Reduced tolerance for writing • Reduced eye-hand coordination & tool usage • Reduced ADL performance for cooking, homemaking, laundry, shopping and childcare
Wrist/Hand	• Limited grip & pinch strength • Limited ability to use hand as a firm stabilizer • Limited feeling & sensory feedback cues + • All of the above for “shoulder/elbow”
Lower Extremity (Hip, Knee or Foot)	• Limited stand & walk tolerances • Reduced stability control & balance • Limited physical capacities to bend, lift & carry, push & pull, squat & kneel • Stiffness with prolonged sitting • Difficulty with stairs, transfers & positional changes • Difficulty performing lower body dressing & bathing