Defining the upper extremity range of motion for safe automobile driving

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Human Factors
• Automotive Safety

Background:

• Lack of established guidelines for return to driving post-upper extremity injury.
• Need for better understanding of upper extremity role in driving for clinical assessments.
• Research focuses on analyzing upper extremity motion during safe driving.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze upper extremity motion during safe automobile driving.
• To provide data for clinicians assessing fitness-to-drive.
• To inform guidelines for return to driving after injury.

Main Methods:

• Thirty-six participants used a driving simulator with highway scenarios and traffic hazards.
• OptiTrack™ motion tracking system recorded upper limb movements.
• Quantified ranges of motion for shoulder, elbow, forearm, and wrist.

Main Results:

• Specific ranges of motion for shoulder (flexion, abduction, adduction, rotation), elbow (flexion), forearm (pronation, supination), and wrist (flexion, extension, radial/ulnar deviation) were recorded.
• Key movements identified for hazard avoidance include shoulder flexion, shoulder rotation, forearm rotation, and wrist deviation.
• Steering wheel rotation in simulations reached 57.2° (SD 19.2).

Conclusions:

• Shoulder flexion, internal rotation, and forearm rotation are essential upper extremity movements for safe driving.
• Clinicians can use recorded motion ranges for fitness-to-drive evaluations.
• Driving tasks require steering wheel revolutions within the recorded capabilities.