subject: Orthopedics: When Is It Safe To Get Behind The Wheel? [print this page] If youve been through the ringer regarding orthopedics, complete with a major surgery to correct some problem with your joints or back, youre probably wondering when you can get back to living a normal life. For most people, this includes getting back behind the wheel of your car. Its terrible to need to depend on others to give you a ride every time you need to go to the corner store. Without your own independent transportation, you are extremely limited in what you can do. But that doesnt mean you should rush to do things you arent ready for. Here are some things you can look at to determine if youre ready to drive again.
Risk
The last thing you want to do is aggravate or re-injure yourself by getting behind the wheel before you can do so safely. Recovery from surgery can be a long and arduous process. You dont want to extend the process to double what you would have otherwise had to deal with. Some in orthopedics have undoubtedly seen patients who have gone on to require additional surgery because they tried to jumpstart their recovery in the wrong ways. One of the easiest things to look at is this: if you are immobilized in any meaningful way, you probably need to put driving off for a while.
Unpredictability
You may be perfectly able to get in a car and drive in a straight line to the end of the driveway. You may even feel ready to make your commute to work, provided you dont run into any trouble. But thats just the thing --you cant be sure of what youll run into. Driving requires more than simply being able to keep the car between the lines. You have to be ready to react in an instant, and those who have had surgery in the field of orthopedics often arent ready to make any sudden movements. Even a splint on your arm can hamper your ability to react to a situation quickly.
Medication
This is a big one. If youre in recovery from surgery, pain medication is probably a part of that recovery. Pain medication often slows your reaction time. It may even make your drowsy. Its one thing to fall asleep while sitting in front of the television; its quite another to fall asleep behind the wheel of a car. Make sure you are not under the influence of any medications when you decide its time to drive again.
