Driving after ACL surgery Tip 5 - Arrange a lift home after surgery A right knee procedure generally means it will take longer until it is safe to drive because you need to be able to quickly move your right leg from side to side. To drive a car you primarily use your right leg to push the pedals. Driving after ACL surgery Tip 4 - Take more time with a right knee procedure Nevertheless, a conversation with your doctor to discuss the key considerations may still be of value to you. It is possible that your doctor is reluctant to clear you to drive in fear that they could expose themselves to liability if an injury were to occur. If you are unsure about driving, try have a conservation with your doctor to discuss your specific circumstances. Driving after ACL surgery Tip 3 - Talk to your doctor So it is important to have control and function of your right leg to respond quickly to the car pedals just in case a toddler runs out across the road in front of you. You must be able to brake quickly in case of an emergency. Driving after ACL surgery Tip 2 - You "must" be able to brake quickly You may wish to try driving in a vacant parking lot to start with. Therefore it is important to use common sense - don't rush to get behind the wheel and wait until you feel ready. There are no well established guidelines that we are aware of for when you can drive after ACL surgery. You can drive when you are confident and feel comfortable to do so. Top 6 tips for driving after ACL surgery Driving after ACL surgery Tip 1 - Driving is possible when you feel comfortable There are no standard guidelines for when you can drive after ACL surgery as everyone is different. If you unsure, try practising in a vacant car park until you feel confident. It is not always obvious when it is safe to drive for the first time after ACL surgery and it can be daunting for some people. However, patients should only drive when it is safe to do so.
WHEN CAN I GET ON MY KNEES AFTER ACL SURGERY PLUS
Hence the key factors for determining when you can drive after surgery include your ability to perform an emergency stop and move your leg from side to side plus returning reaction times back to satisfactory levels.Ī key benefit of driving after ACL surgery is that it can help patients to return to their normal daily life early in their recovery timeline. Generally speaking it is thought that your reaction times can be impacted for the first 4 to 6 weeks after a knee reconstruction. Importantly, to drive after ACL surgery you must be able to brake suddenly in case of an emergency! Accordingly, when you drive for the first time it is important to have control of your right leg in particularly.Ī doctor or therapist can assist to provide individual advice as essentially driving after ACL surgery should be assessed on a case by case basis. You can drive after ACL surgery when you are confident and feel comfortable.