FCEs are needed to determine if an employee is able to resume working in a capacity "commensurate with his or her skills or abilities"[2] before the disability or medical condition was diagnosed.
[2] Studies have been undertaken to assess the accuracy of FCEs in predicting the longterm outcomes for patients, both in terms of returning to work, and in probability of permanent disability.
During most FCEs, the following measurements are also taken: Functional capacity can also be expressed as "METs" and can be used as a reliable predictor of future cardiac events.
In other words, a means of expressing energy cost of physical activity as a multiple of the resting rate.
[6] For instance; walking on level ground at about 6 km/h or carrying groceries up a flight of stairs expends about 4 METs of activity.