Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 17, 2026
Individualized Stem-positioning in Calcar-guided Short-stem Total Hip Arthroplasty
Published on: February 27, 2018
Influence of left- and right-side total hip arthroplasty on the ability to perform an emergency stop while driving a
Maurice Jordan1, Ulf Krister Hofmann1, Julia Grünwald1
1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University Hospital of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
Objective:
To show the possible effect of left- and right-side total hip arthroplasty (THA) on the ability to perform an emergency stop when driving a car.
Design:
Inception cohort.
Setting:
A driving simulator using an actual car cabin, specifically developed for the experiment, was used for testing driving ability.
Participants:
Patients (N=40; 20 left-side THA/20 right-side THA) were tested preoperatively and in increments of 8 days and 6, 12, and 52 weeks after surgery.
Interventions:
Left- and right-side THA.
Main Outcome Measures:
Reaction time, movement time, total brake response time (TBRT), and maximum brake force.
Results:
Eight days postoperatively, measurements on driving performance indicated a slight worsening for all outcome parameters in patients after left-side THA and considerably more worsening in patients after right-side THA. For both patient groups, significant improvements in outcome measures were noted during the 1-year follow-up. Brake force declined significantly in patients with left-side THA (P=.012) and in patients after right-side THA (P<.001). A total of 35% of the patients with right-side THA and 15% with left-side THA could not meet the 600 ms TBRT threshold 6 weeks postoperatively.
Conclusions:
Most patients who underwent right-side THA reached their preoperative baseline 6 weeks after surgery. Most of the patients with left-side THA showed no TBRT limitations 8 days postoperatively. Because of the patients' highly individual rehabilitation course and considering the possible consequences of the premature resumption of driving a motor vehicle, individual examination and recommendation are necessary.
