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Evaluating the work capacity of injured people

  • US 5,848,594 A
  • Filed: 06/07/1995
  • Issued: 12/15/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for evaluating lifting work capacity of a person, said method comprising the steps of:

  • (a) determining a maximum acceptable weight that said person can lift in a test comprising the steps of;

    (1) selecting a starting weight a maximum allowable heart rate and a starting heart rate for said person;

    (2) constantly monitoring a heart rate of said person during said test;

    (3) requiring said person to lift a weight from a series of weights beginning with said starting weight;

    (4) monitoring said heart rate of said person during lifting of said weight and if said heart rate exceeds said maximum allowable heart rate while said person is lifting said weight, stopping said test;

    (5) monitoring said heart rate of said person after lifting said weight and if said heart rate does not return to said starting heart rate within a predetermined period of time in the range of 30 to 120 seconds after said person has lifted said weight, stopping said test; and

    (6) if said test is not stopped repeating steps (3)-(5) until said test is stopped in steps (4) or (5) and, in step (3), requiring said person to lift a next weight in said series of weights where said next weight in said series of weights is heavier than the previous weight in said series of weights that was previously lifted by said person in step (3),whereby said maximum acceptable weight is the heaviest weight of said series of weights that said person can lift before said heart rate of said person during lifting exceeds said maximum allowable heart rate or said heart rate of said person after lifting does not return to said predetermined starting heart rate within said predetermined period of time; and

    (b) obtaining a normative performance ranking by locating said maximum acceptable weight on a table of normative data and locating a corresponding normative performance ranking,whereby said lifting work capacity of said person is obtained.

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