When Do Patients Return to Driving After Outpatient Foot and Ankle Surgery?

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Patient Safety
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Returning to driving after foot and ankle surgery is challenging to counsel.
• Traditional recommendations are based on brake reaction times, often suggesting 6-9 weeks post-procedure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine when patients actually return to driving after outpatient foot and ankle surgery.
• To identify factors influencing patients' return-to-driving decisions.
• To assess for any driving-related adverse events.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective telephone survey of 17 patients who underwent outpatient foot and ankle surgery.
• Inquiry into patient experiences and attitudes regarding return to driving.
• Data collected on timing of return to driving and surgeon recommendations.

Main Results:

• 59% of patients discussed return-to-driving timelines with their surgeon.
• Only 23.5% of patients returned to driving at the recommended time.
• No driving-related adverse events were reported, with some patients returning to driving sooner than advised.

Conclusions:

• Patients frequently return to driving earlier than surgeon recommendations after foot and ankle procedures.
• Patient self-assessment of driving readiness may be more influential than surgical advice.
• Current recommendations may not align with patient-reported return-to-driving behaviors.