Purpose: Functional Capacity Evaluations (FCEs) are batteries of tests designed to measure patients’ ability to perform work-related activities. Although FCEs are used world-wide, it is unknown how patients’ performances compare between countries or settings. This study was performed to explore similarities and differences in FCE performance of patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) between three international settings that utilise the same FCE protocol.

Methods: Standardised FCEs were performed on three cohorts of patients with CLBP: a sample from an outpatient rehabilitation context in the Netherlands (n=121), a Canadian sample in a Worker’s Compensation context (n=273), and a Swiss sample in an inpatient rehabilitation context (n=170). Patients were undergoing FCE as part of their usual clinical care. Means and standard deviations of maximum performance on the FCE material handling items were calculated and differences compared using ANO VA. Multivariable linear regression was used to determine the relationship between country of origin and FCE performance while controlling for potential confounders including, age, sex, duration of back pain problems, and self-reported pain and disability ratings.

Results: Compared to the Dutch sample, the mean performance of patients in the Canadian and Swiss samples was consistently lower on all FCE items. This association remained statistically significant after controlling for potential confounders.

Conclusions: Considerable differences were observed between settings in maximum weight handled on the various FCE items. Future FCE research should examine the effects of a number of potentially influential factors, including variability in evaluator judgements across settings, the evaluator-patient interaction and patients’ expectations of the influence of FCE results on disability compensation.

Accepted: Disability & Rehabilitation 2006