BACKGROUND: After right total knee arthroplasty (TKA), patients are usually eager to return to driving. Previous studies suggest 6 weeks postsurgery is a safe time. However, recent advances in surgical technique, pain management, and rehabilitation have theoretically improved recovery after TKA. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We therefore determined if (1) the timeframe for return to driving, as determined by attainment of preoperative braking levels, would be shorter after contemporary right TKA than that reported previously for a traditional TKA; and (2) gender or age influence recovery of baseline response time. METHODS: Brake response times for all 29 patients undergoing right-sided TKA between January 17, 2008, and January 29, 2009, were scheduled to be measured by a trained occupational therapist before surgery and at 4, 6, and 8 weeks after surgery. For each patient, testing was discontinued once the preoperative level was achieved. RESULTS: All patients returned to baseline braking levels by 4 weeks after surgery. Gender and age did not influence recovery times. CONCLUSIONS: If other requirements for driving are met, surgeons may consider allowing patients treated with contemporary right TKAs to drive 4 weeks after surgery.
BACKGROUND: After right total knee arthroplasty (TKA), patients are usually eager to return to driving. Previous studies suggest 6 weeks postsurgery is a safe time. However, recent advances in surgical technique, pain management, and rehabilitation have theoretically improved recovery after TKA. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We therefore determined if (1) the timeframe for return to driving, as determined by attainment of preoperative braking levels, would be shorter after contemporary right TKA than that reported previously for a traditional TKA; and (2) gender or age influence recovery of baseline response time. METHODS: Brake response times for all 29 patients undergoing right-sided TKA between January 17, 2008, and January 29, 2009, were scheduled to be measured by a trained occupational therapist before surgery and at 4, 6, and 8 weeks after surgery. For each patient, testing was discontinued once the preoperative level was achieved. RESULTS: All patients returned to baseline braking levels by 4 weeks after surgery. Gender and age did not influence recovery times. CONCLUSIONS: If other requirements for driving are met, surgeons may consider allowing patients treated with contemporary right TKAs to drive 4 weeks after surgery.
Authors: G Hawker; J Wright; P Coyte; J Paul; R Dittus; R Croxford; B Katz; C Bombardier; D Heck; D Freund Journal: J Bone Joint Surg Am Date: 1998-02 Impact factor: 5.284
Authors: Carlos J Marques; Jan Cabri; João Barreiros; Ana I Carita; Christian Friesecke; Jochen F Loehr Journal: Arch Phys Med Rehabil Date: 2008-05 Impact factor: 3.966
Authors: Hari K Parvataneni; Vineet P Shah; Holly Howard; Naida Cole; Amar S Ranawat; Chitranjan S Ranawat Journal: J Arthroplasty Date: 2007-07-26 Impact factor: 4.757
Authors: Kevin J DiSilvestro; Adam J Santoro; Fotios P Tjoumakaris; Eric A Levicoff; Kevin B Freedman Journal: Clin Orthop Relat Res Date: 2016-08-04 Impact factor: 4.176
Authors: Paul Baker; Carol Coole; Avril Drummond; Sayeed Khan; Catriona McDaid; Catherine Hewitt; Lucksy Kottam; Sarah Ronaldson; Elizabeth Coleman; David A McDonald; Fiona Nouri; Melanie Narayanasamy; Iain McNamara; Judith Fitch; Louise Thomson; Gerry Richardson; Amar Rangan Journal: Health Technol Assess Date: 2020-09 Impact factor: 4.014
Authors: D Latz; E Schiffner; J Schneppendahl; B H Thalmann; P Jungbluth; J Grassmann; J Windolf; S V Gehrmann Journal: Unfallchirurg Date: 2019-09 Impact factor: 1.000
Authors: M C Liebensteiner; H Rochau; P Renz; V Smekal; R Rosenberger; F Birkfellner; C Haid; M Krismer Journal: Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc Date: 2014-05-15 Impact factor: 4.342
Authors: Trevor P Scott; William Pannel; David Savin; Stephanie S Ngo; Jessica Ellerman; Kristin Toy; Michael D Daubs; Daniel Lu; Jeffrey C Wang Journal: Global Spine J Date: 2015-02-02