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Research Week Abstract Book - Northern Health

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Orthopaedics<br />

ORTHOPAEDICS<br />

RETURNING TO DRIVING FOLLOWING LOWER LIMB SURGERY<br />

Hau RC and McLeod-Mills L<br />

Background<br />

Following an injury or surgery to a lower limb patients are keen to return to normal activities such as work, recreation and<br />

driving. Advice on returning to driving should be based on knowledge, clinical experience, functional assessment and<br />

radiological information. The challenge of advising a patient on when it is safe to return to driving may result in uncertainty<br />

with the patient returning too soon 1. A safe return to driving requires the patient to confidently apply appropriate brake force<br />

to stop the car in an emergency situation without hesitation.<br />

Eighteen studies have been published on return to driving following lower limb surgery in an attempt to provide guidelines<br />

for clinicians. Studies included ankle fracture, pre and post joint arthroplasty, ACL repair and knee arthroscopy. Most studies<br />

reported brake reaction time (BRT) and total braking time (TBT), few measured break pedal force (BPF) 1.<br />

Our study<br />

Ankle fractures are common in the adult population and often require surgical intervention. One study suggests that it takes 9<br />

weeks after an ankle has been operated on before it becomes mobile and agile enough to drive 2.<br />

Hypothesis<br />

The investigators hypothesize that patients will return to driving quicker if they are allowed to start mobilising their ankles<br />

sooner following surgery.<br />

Methodology<br />

Following two weeks in a half plaster patients will be randomised to:<br />

• weight bearing in plaster for 4 weeks<br />

• early mobilisation in a CAM walker for 4 weeks<br />

• non-weight bearing in plaster for 4 weeks (control)<br />

We plan to test driving reaction between three groups of patients at 6, 8, 10, 12 and 24 weeks post surgery. Data measured<br />

to achieve an emergency stop will include; BRT, TBT and BPF.<br />

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