Article

OBJECTIVES: (1) To study the natural decline in functional capacity (FC) of
healthy aging workers;
(2) to compare FC to categories of workload; and (3) to
study the differences in decline between men and women. DESIGN: Cross-sectional
design. SETTING: A rehabilitation center at a university medical center.
PARTICIPANTS: Volunteer sample of healthy workers (N=701) between 20 and 60 years
of age, working at least 20 hours per week in the year prior to the study.
Subjects were recruited via local press and personal networks. INTERVENTIONS: FC
was measured with a 14-item Functional Capacity Evaluation. Demographics and
health status were measured with a general demographic questionnaire and the
RAND-36 questionnaire. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Workload was expressed by the
workload categories, as described by the Dictionary of Occupational Titles.
Descriptive statistics were used to present FC of workers. Change in FC by age
was tested with segmented regression analyses with a cutoff point at 45 years of
age. RESULTS: Significant but small declines of FC under age 45 years were
present in repetitive reaching, hand dexterity, and energetic capacity. Up to 45
years of age, hand and finger strength increased on average. Over 45 years of
age, lifting, carrying, hand and finger strength, and coordinative tests declined
more compared with the group aged less than 45 years. Work capacity of men and
women working in sedentary and light work was sufficient in all age categories.
There are no differences in decline between men and women. CONCLUSIONS: FC of
healthy workers declines with age. This study demonstrates substantial variation
in the type of FC decline among healthy workers between 20 and 60 years of age.
Material handling, hand and finger strength, and hand coordination appear to
decline the most in workers over age 45 years. The objective of rehabilitation is
to maximize an individual's FC, particularly with respect to environmental
demand. Thus, return to work programs must appreciate both FC and workplace
demands in an effort to restore/enhance equilibrium between the 2.
CI - Copyright (c) 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS