You have just had surgery and now have a few questions regarding your automobile. “Am I able to drive?” “Am I safe to drive?” These are common questions that come up in our clinic following surgery.
Woman wearing an arm brace over white
Often times, following surgery a person is wrapped up in a large bulky dressing and the whole arm or leg hurts. Pain postoperatively might be distracting and in fact may keep the drivers attention away from safely operating an automobile. Also most often, patients postoperatively are prescribed pain medications which typically have a sedative side effect, impairing the ability to drive and use heavy machinery.
Returning to driving will vary on the person, the surgery performed, pain control and stiffness. We often have patients ask if they may drive with one arm while the other is immobilized. Driving with one arm is discouraged. An article out of Helio Orthopedics by David Goodwin states,
“Having one limb may impair a driver’s ability to perform evasive maneuvers when faced with hazardous conditions.”
The doctors in our office have some words of wisdom, to consider and think about, and often pass on to their patients:
- There are people driving on the roads every day with some kind of handicap (one arm, one leg/foot, paraplegic) but are they able to function and drive safely?
- Take into account, if for some reason, you were to be involved in an accident and the insurance company or people involved in the accident notice that you appear impaired (by a cast, splint, sling, brace, crutches, walker, cane, etc.), the liability could be shifted to you.
- Would you trust a person driving next to you if they felt as you do or were limited as you are?
The bottom line is, we recommend you wait. Once you think you are ready, go to a parking lot, have someone watch you, and make sure you feel safe driving and switching from gas petal to break petal.
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Written by: Stephanie Jones, AT
Kansas City Bone & Joint Clinic
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