Orthopedics: When Is It Safe To Get Behind The Wheel?

If you've been through the ringer regarding orthopedics, complete with a major surgery to correct some problem with your joints or back, you're 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. It's 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 doesn't mean you should rush to do things you aren't ready for. Here are some things you can look at to determine if you're 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 don't 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 don't run into any trouble. But that's just the thing --you can't be sure of what you'll 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 aren't 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 you're 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. It's one thing to fall asleep while sitting in front of the television; it's 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 it's time to drive again.