The upper extremity fitness-for-duty evaluation

When exposed to certain risk factors for a prolonged period of time, workers in hand intensive jobs can develop chronic inflammation that may lead to symptoms of cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs). The cost of CTDs in actual dollars, human morbidity, and lost productivity requires intervention in industry to reduce their prevalence. The Upper Extremity Fitness-for-Duty Evaluation (UEFFDE) is a comprehensive assessment that measures the physical capacity of workers and assigns point values to 12 clinical examinations for upper extremity CTDs. The purpose of this study was to introduce the UEFFDE and define its accuracy based on empirically measured statements of sensitivity and specificity. To measure the sensitivity and specificity of the UEFFDE, two groups--CTD-diagnosed and normal--were tested. Statistical analysis has indicated the sensitivity of the UEFFDE for injured subjects as 97.67% and specificity for normal subjects as 91.97%. Discussion has centered upon the use of the UEFFDE in three industrial populations and in the context of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.