Functional Capacity Evaluation Team Grows at Mobile Health with New Physical Therapist
New York, NY (PRWEB) June 25, 2014 -- Tara Bach-Martinez, Doctor of Physical Therapy, is Mobile Health’s new physical therapist and is overseeing the new Functional Capacity Evaluations Exams. Born in Mobile, Alabama but raised in Vermont and Alabama, Tara was first introduced to physical therapy while being treated for sports and dance injuries. Having seen the potential frailty of a body in motion, Tara decided to pursue her studies and career in the medical art of physical therapy and exercise physiology. Her lifelong passion for health and fitness makes her a perfect fit and a welcome addition to the Mobile Health team.
Tara’s unique approach to physical therapy is one that compliments a person’s entire well-being inside and out. Having a safe blood pressure reading and appropriate immunizations is very important for many sensitive jobs, but Tara realizes that a person’s ability to safely function at their job is equally important.
After years of treating athletes and dancers for injuries, Tara joined a New York City home health agency as a physical therapist and saw firsthand how employees were injuring themselves while trying to perform the tasks required of a home health aide. She reflects on her experiences:
“My home health co-workers were hard working people, doing important things for their agencies and clients. Unfortunately, not all aides were physically able to do their jobs. There was a client recovering from open heart surgery whose aide would not be able to pick him up if he fell down. It places both the aide and client in a very difficult, unsafe position.”
Following a 3-month leave of absence due to three family deaths, Tara decided to realign her career and help prevent the home health aide injuries she was treating.
Upon joining Mobile Health, Tara took ownership of the Functional Capacity Evaluations, helping to design the exams and developing a caring relationship with her patients. “Many people come to me scared and nervous, but after a few breathing exercises and polite conversation they realize the importance of the exam and are willing to participate in their individual test.”
Functional Capacity Evaluations are tests designed to determine if an employee is capable of meeting the physical demands of a job. These evaluations test everything from stamina and repetitive movements to weight lifting. They are an important tool for testing an individual’s ability to reliably perform the tasks that a job may require on a daily basis.
Although most do pass these exams, Tara also notes that she’s had a few who were unable to complete tests that involved carrying a heavy box or having full range of motion in their shoulders. At these times, she does empathize, but realizes that these individuals will hurt themselves if hired to perform these functions.
Most times, she sees patients who are completing pre-employment exams that mostly deal with internal health. To Tara, this is only half of the story. “A TB test is very important for an employee in healthcare, but that is no guarantee that this person can repeatedly lift their arms above their heads without pain or transfer a patient from the bed to the bathroom,” Tara shares.
Currently the Functional Capacity Evaluations are only offered in the Manhattan medical office. In the future, Tara is looking forward to expanding them into other Mobile Health locations. She is also looking into adding specialty equipment to replicate the functional strength, endurance and range of motion required for her patients’ employment.
Mobile Health is an employee screening and occupational health company designed to maintain a safe, healthy, and compliant workplace. Their 6 locations in New York City and in Long Island specialize in employment related medical exams, drug testing, and job specific screening needs. For more information about Mobile Health, please visit http://www.mobilehealth.net/.
Rafael Landeiro, Mobile Health, http://www.mobilehealth.net, 646-625-3008, [email protected]
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