When do you stop a lift test?
When do you stop a lift test?
If you are a kinesiologist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, or clinic owner, this is for you.
During progressive lifting tasks, the examiner is responsible for determining when to terminate the activity based on predefined safety criteria. The objective is to identify safe maximum performance, not maximal effort to failure.
Common stopping criteria include:
Loss of biomechanical control (e.g., excessive trunk flexion, asymmetry, instability)
Significant and sustained increase in heart rate relative to workload
Participant report of inability to continue
Examiner judgment based on observed risk
The examiner should monitor changes across repetitions rather than relying on a single lift. Progressive deterioration in movement quality often precedes overt task failure and should be treated as a valid endpoint.
Documentation should clearly identify the specific reason for termination (e.g., “terminated due to loss of neutral spine during ascent phase”), as this informs both interpretation and defensibility of results.
We cover this in our upcoming in-person Functional Capacity Evaluation workshop in Calgary.
Details and registration:
https://lnkd.in/eM5YG4bB
Disclaimer:
This content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and is specific to Alberta, Canada. It does not constitute legal advice. Laws and their application may vary. You should consult a qualified legal professional or appropriate regulatory authority before implementing any fit-for-work or functional testing program.
