Orthopaedic Driving Study
When is it Safe to Drive After Rotator Cuff Surgery
Sponsored by Carilion Clinic
Patients may return to driving after having their rotator cuff repaired, sooner than previously thought, according to new research from Dr. Peter Apel's lab in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. After sampling data from one pre-operative and four post-operative drives, the researchers determined that patients were able to utilize adaptive behaviors to allow for a safe driving techniques. This suggests that our rotator cuff repair patients may get back into the drivers seat sooner than expected.
"What we found was that patients made modifications to their driving techniques based on their shoulder being in a sling and they are still able to safely turn, break, merge and park," said Peter J. Apel, MD, PhD, the primary investigator on the study conducted at the Institute for Orthopaedics and Neurosciences.
"As such, we have encouraged surgeons not to restrict patients from driving after their rotator cuff surgery as it turns out they are safe and they make themselves safe with adaptive behaviors," Dr. Apel said.
Back to Normal
Dr. Apel specializes in hand and upper extremity surgery, and is highly motivated to improve patient outcomes through research. He is especially interested in research that decreases the burden of healthcare on the patient and the system overall, such as these return to driving studies which he leads.
Dr. Apel and his lab have previously shown that a modeled-WALANT (wide-awake, local anesthetic, no tourniquet) state following carpal tunnel release (CTR) has no clinically relevant negative impact on post-operative driving, indicating similarly that CTR patients could drive home following a unilateral WALANT hand procedure.
Retooling Driving Recommendations
After successful publication of the WALANT study in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery, Dr. Apel and co-investigators decided to analyze how soon patients could safely return to driving after having a rotator cuff repair. As one of the most commonly performed orthopaedic procedures, Dr. Apel explains, it is common for patients to have been discouraged from driving for up to six weeks following the procedure.
"Those recommendations aren’t based in any science, and in an era like this where you need a car to do anything, those restrictions are incredibly burdensome," he said.
To assess for driving safety, instrumented vehicles from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute were outfitted with special sensors and monitoring equipment to analyze enrolled patients two weeks before they underwent rotator cuff surgery, and then at at weeks two, four, six and 12 following surgery. After analysis of both pre- and post-operative drives from all subjects, the investigators found no statistically significant differences in safety.
"This is the first time that a research study has ever looked at real patients driving and seen how these smart, adaptive patients make modifications to their techniques that make them safe to drive," Dr. Apel added.
To refer a patient to the Department of Orthopaedics at Carilion Clinic , contact 540-510-6200
Learn More About Carilion Clinic’s Department of Orthopaedics
The Department of Orthopaedics at Carilion Clinic is the largest academic practice in Virginia with 50 board-certified physicians, 22 Advanced Care Practitioners and 26 Athletic Trainers. With fellowship trained surgeons in eight orthopaedic subspecialties, Carilion Clinic offers an evidence-based practice progressive in knowledge and skill. The department actively participates in the exchange of knowledge to advance the field of orthopaedic surgery through research and education.