Observer-reported outcome measures showed that patients ’ driving abilities often are impaired when wearing an immobilizing cast above or below the elbow or a shoulder sling on their dominant arm .
Conclusions The available evidence provides a best-case scenario for when patients can return to driving .
Survey data suggest that patients are returning to driving before observer-reported outcome measures have normalized , indicating that physicians should tell patients to wait longer before driving .
Background Patients often ask their doctors when they can safely return to driving after orthopaedic injuries and procedures , but the data regarding this topic are diverse and sometimes conflicting .
Some studies provide observer-reported outcome measures , such as brake response time or simulators , to estimate when patients can safely resume driving after surgery , and patient survey data describing when patients report a return to driving , but they do not all agree .
We performed a systematic review and quality appraisal for available data regarding when patients are safe to resume driving after common orthopaedic surgeries and injuries affecting the ability to drive .
Questions / purpose sBased on the available evidence , we sought to determine when patients can safely return to driving after ( 1 ) lower extremity orthopaedic surgery and injuries ; ( 2 ) upper extremity orthopaedic surgery and injuries ; and ( 3 ) spine surgery .
Driver Reaction Time Before and After Treatment for Lumbar Radiculopathy
Study Design . Prospect i ve observational pilot study . Objective . To investigate the effect of  right and left radiculopathy on  driver reaction time ( DRT ) , and the effect of selective nerve root block ( SNRB ) on DRT . Summary of Background Data . The effect of many orthopedic procedures on DRT has already been assessed . To date the effect of radiculopathy and SNRB on DRT has not been studied . Methods .  DRTs  of 20 radiculopathic patients ( 10 right , 10 left ) were measured using a custom-built car simulator . Each patient was tested pre-SNRB , immediately post-SNRB , and 2 and 6 weeks post-SNRB . As controls 20 age- and sex-matched normal subjects were tested once . Full departmental , institutional , and ethical committee approval were obtained . Results . Mean DRT of the control group was 452 milliseconds . Mean DRT of patients with right or left radiculopathy pre-SNRB was 521 milliseconds ( P < 0.045 ) and 535 milliseconds ( P < 0.018 ) , respectively . In the right radiculopathic group , the measurements immediately post-SNRB , 2 weeks , and 6 weeks were 656 milliseconds ( P < 0.005 ) , 589 milliseconds ( P < 0.019 ) , and 564 milliseconds ( P < 0.10 ) , respectively . The delay immediately and at 2 weeks post-SNRB translates into an increase in stopping distance of 3.8 and 1.9 m , respectively at the speed of 100 km/h . In the left radiculopathic group , the measurements immediately post-SNRB , 2 weeks , and 6 weeks were 585 milliseconds ( P < 0.037 ) , 534 milliseconds , and 530 milliseconds , respectively . The delay immediately post-SNRB translates into an increase in stopping distance of 1.4 m at the speed of 100 km/h . Conclusion . The study identified significant DRTs ’ changes both in radiculopathy and after SNRB . Right and left radiculopathic patients should be advised about the possible changes in their DRTs post-SNRB . Future research with regard to the suitability for radiculopathic patients to drive and the best time to resume driving post-SNRB is needed
Observer-reported outcome measures showed that patients ’ driving abilities often are impaired when wearing an immobilizing cast above or below the elbow or a shoulder sling on their dominant arm .
Conclusions The available evidence provides a best-case scenario for when patients can return to driving .
Survey data suggest that patients are returning to driving before observer-reported outcome measures have normalized , indicating that physicians should tell patients to wait longer before driving .
Background Patients often ask their doctors when they can safely return to driving after orthopaedic injuries and procedures , but the data regarding this topic are diverse and sometimes conflicting .
Some studies provide observer-reported outcome measures , such as brake response time or simulators , to estimate when patients can safely resume driving after surgery , and patient survey data describing when patients report a return to driving , but they do not all agree .
We performed a systematic review and quality appraisal for available data regarding when patients are safe to resume driving after common orthopaedic surgeries and injuries affecting the ability to drive .
Questions / purpose sBased on the available evidence , we sought to determine when patients can safely return to driving after ( 1 ) lower extremity orthopaedic surgery and injuries ; ( 2 ) upper extremity orthopaedic surgery and injuries ; and ( 3 ) spine surgery .