Driving After Total Knee and Hip Arthroplasty - an Observational Study From the Perspective of Rehabilitative Orthopaedic Therapy

Abstract Objective: Considering the legal stipulations in Germany regarding fitness to drive a motor vehicle, the aim of this study is to find out when patients with a total knee arthroplasty (TKA) or total hip arthroplasty (THA) actually take up driving again after surgery; how the replaced joint, side, gender, place of residence and physician’s recommendations, influences the patient in making the decision to start driving again.Background: For a large proportion of the population, especially those residing in the countryside, the use of a car for daily activities is indispensable. Following a TKA or THA procedure, the overseeing physician will usually recommend refraining from driving, sometimes up to 12 weeks after surgery with a major social and economical impact on patient’s life. Methods: 92 eligible participants, contained within the frame of a prospective experimental observational study, were contacted via telephone 12 weeks after surgery and interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The answers were statistically analysed using SPSS®.Discussion: There were statistically significant differences regarding operated side, gender and place of residence. Male patients drove in the 6th and 7th postoperative week, while female patients drove in the 8th and 9th postoperative week. For 58.6% of patients the reasoning for the first post-operative drive was medical: the journey to physiotherapy or to a doctor’s appointment. TKA impaired patients the most. Patients recovering from a TKA drive considerably later. Patients recovering from a right sided TKA have an increased risk by a factor of nine, not to become an “early driver”. Female patients who underwent TKA had an increased risk by a factor of 21, of becoming a “late driver”. Conclusions: The rehabilitation following a right sided TKA proved a challenge with regard to the reuptake of driving. This should be taken into account when planning the course of therapy for patients who are driving regulary. Female patients could benefit from special training. Trial registration: DRKS00018693. Registered 20 September 2019 https://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do?navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00018693