![]() Driving After A Hip Replacement. Home: Travelling After Hip Surgery . I will discuss these below. However please bear in mind that the only people who can offer you individual advice about driving are the members of your clinical team. Nothing that is said here should over- ride their advice. Driving before you are ready can be dangerous both for you and other people. Let's look at the factors that will affect your reaction time and driving skills as well as those that put you at risk of dislocating your hip. For information on how to get in and out of a car and which ones are safe to drive please see Hip Replacement Driving Information. Medication. You should not drive if you are taking narcotic (opiate based) medication. In most countries it is illegal. If you are on any other medication then your surgeon will advise you when it is safe for you to drive. As people react differently to hip pain relief medication you must tell your doctor about any side affects you experience. He can then factor this in when giving you advice. Physical reaction time. Medication is one factor that will affect your reaction time as it can slow down the time it takes to process information or make it hard for you to concentrate on driving. ![]() However even if your brain is working fine your leg may not be able to react quickly. It is always a good idea to . Sit in the car and pretend to drive (okay I know it sounds daft - but better daft than sorry). Can your leg switch quickly between accelerator (gas) and brake? Do you feel confident co- ordinating the clutch with the accelerator? If not, be patient, and wait a bit longer before setting off. The approach used. The majority of hip replacements are carried out using a modified anterolateral approach which means the surgeon makes the first incision from the side of your hip. I would like to address some of the challenges with driving after lower extremity surgeries. 19 Responses to When can you drive after knee or ankle surgery? When Can I Drive After Acl Injury says. Depending upon different authors a reasonable approach is to resume driving 6 weeks after THA of the right hip. The effect of total hip replacement on driving reactions. Swiss Medical Weekly. In most cases, it is. The next most common is the posterior approach (from the back). Although there are many advantages to these approaches they both increase the likelihood of dislocation during the first few weeks post- op. The anterior approach (from the front) especially when combined with the minimally invasive technique has a lower risk of dislocation and may allow you to start driving after a hip replacement much sooner. Manual (stick shift) or automatic car(I've tried to write this so that it is clear whether you drive on the left or the right!)Driving a manual car (stick shift) involves using both legs. ![]() ![]() Therefore it really doesn't matter which leg was operated on. You can't drive until the leg can do its job properly. Driving an automatic only involves one leg so if your operated leg is the one you use for the pedals you will probably have to wait longer to drive than if it was your other leg that was operated on. Enduarance. Driving after your hip replacement is going to be more tiring than you expect. Do you have the stamina to drive a long distance? Have you got the attention span? Can you keep your leg in the right position for sufficient time? If you've hesitated in answering any of these then don't drive. Insurance. Check your insurance policy for any conditions relating to driving after a hip replacement. It will probably be invalid if you haven't got positive clearance from your surgeon before you drive. Don't think just becuase he hasn't said anything that you can. Be careful as you get in or out of bed or a car. Are involved in heavy manual labor or physically demanding sports. It is rare to have a hip dislocation after hip replacement surgery. Whether you drive a manual shift or automatic car. You will not have to see your family doctor about your hip after. Be sure to tell your dentist or other doctors involved in your care that you have had hip replacement. When it arrives at dealerships this spring, the softer-looking Acadia will probably be nearer in measurement to a mid-size Jeep Grand Cherokee or Ford Explorer than the complete-dimension Yukon. 12 Things I Wish I Knew About. Your Daily Life After Knee Replacement. One of your biggest concerns will probably revolve around driving again. It may be longer if you drive a manual transmission. Learn about when you may begin activities such as driving, sexual activity, walking. After undergoing hip replacement surgery. If in doubt ask him. Take a momen to think about the consequences of that. If you get stopped you'll be fined or taken to court with the possiblity of a criminal record for the rest of your life. Worse still if you cause an accident how will you pay? Driving after a hip replacement means that you are independent again. It's great but be patient - a few days or weeks without the use of a car is better than an accident. Related Links: Preparing for Recovery Slumber Support Essential Equipment Waling Aids. Travelling After Hip Surgery: Travelling As A Passenger. ![]()
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