- ALLERGY, RESPIRATORY
- Herbal Remedy Could Halt Peanut Allergy
- Air Quality Better in Northeast, Midwest
- Air Pollution May Raise Blood Pressure
- ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
- Meditation, Yoga Might Switch Off Stress Genes
- Naprapathy: A Hands-On Approach to Pain Management
- Traditional Chinese Therapy May Help Ease Eczema
- ANIMAL CARE
- Animals Respond to Acupuncture's Healing Touch
- Beware of Dog Bites
- Separation Anxiety, Canine-Style
- BONES & JOINTS
- Genes May Help Drive Rotator Cuff Injury
- Weight Loss Might Not Curb Knee Arthritis
- Health Tip: Back Pain in Children
- CANCER
- Smoking Ups Risk of Second Breast Cancer
- Many Ignore Symptoms of Bladder Trouble
- Steady Weight Gain Boosts Late-Life Breast Cancer Risk
- CAREGIVING
- Mild Flu Season Coming to a Close
- Organ Donation Policies Vary Among Children's Hospitals
- Few Hospitals Embracing Electronic Health Record Systems
- CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
- A Brisk Pace May Keep Stroke at Bay
- Bad Marriages Harder on Women's Health
- Night Shift Work Hard on the Heart
- COSMETIC
- Get Sugared!.... Its a sweet choice for hair removal
- Wrinkle Fillers Need Better Label Warnings: FDA Panel
- What to Do If You Have Unsightly Veins
- DENTAL, ORAL
- Holistic Dentistry-My View
- Health Tip: At Risk for Gingivitis
- Acupuncture May Ease Anxiety Over Dental Work
- DIABETES
- Coffee, Tea Might Stave Off Diabetes
- Exercise Protects Black Women From Type 2 Diabetes
- Older Diabetics With Depression Face Higher Death Rate
- DIET, NUTRITION
- Go Healthy, Not Hungry for Holiday Eating
- Diet, Exercise May Slow Kidney Disease Progression
- Shedding Light on Why Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Help the Heart
- DISABILITIES
- Review Finds Marijuana May Help MS Patients
- Could Your Cell Phone Help Shield You From Alzheimer's?
- ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
- Short-Term Air Pollution Exposure May Damage DNA
- Fish in U.S. Rivers Tainted With Common Medications
- Agent Orange Exposure Tied to Prostate Cancer Return
- EYE CARE, VISION
- Diabetic Hispanics Missing Out on Eye Exams
- Cases of Age-Related Farsightedness to Soar
- Eye Problems, Hearing Loss May Be Linked
- FITNESS
- Fitness Fades Fast After 45
- Basketball Star Details His Struggle With Gout
- Football Can Shrink Players
- GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS
- Gum Chewing May Speed Colon Surgery Recovery
- HRT Use Raises Risk of Stomach Trouble
- Olive Oil May Protect Against Bowel Disease
- GENERAL HEALTH
- Simple Holistic Approach to Fight the Common Cold
- Why Am I So Tired? Could It Be Low Thyroid?
- Laughter Can Boost Heart Health
- HEAD & NECK
- Ski Helmets Encouraged for All
- Zen May Thicken Brain, Thwart Pain
- Many Children Will Outgrow Headaches
- HEALTH & TECHNOLOGY
- Save Your Aging Brain, Try Surfing The Web
- Using Light Therapy to Silence Harmful Brain Activity
- Imaging Sheds Light on How Acupuncture Works
- HEART & CARDIOVASCULAR
- Cocoa in Chocolate May Be Good for the Heart
- Man's Best Friend Helps Mend Broken Hearts
- Too Much Red Meat May Shorten Life Span
- INFECTIOUS DISEASE
- Chinese 'Devil Dung' Plant Could Be a Swine Flu Fighter
- Viral Infection Might Trigger High Blood Pressure
- Swine Flu Loves a Crowd
- KID'S HEALTH
- Daily Exercise at School Yields Rewards
- Too Many Infants Short on Vitamin D
- More Calcium And Dairy Products in Childhood Could Mean Longer Life
- MEN'S HEALTH
- Vigorous Exercise Cuts Stroke Risk for Men, Not Women
- Whole Grains, Bran May Fight Hypertension in Men
- Strenuous Daily Workout May Keep Cancer at Bay
- MENTAL HEALTH
- Environmental Chemicals May Affect Male Reproduction
- Worries About Weight Are Tied to Teen Suicide Tries
- Man's Best Friend Helps Mend Broken Hearts
- PREGNANCY
- Heart Defects in Newborns Linked to Antidepressants
- Yoga's Benefits Outweigh Risks for Pregnant Women
- Mom's Extra Pregnancy Pounds May Raise Child's Heart Risks
- SENIORS
- Boost In Elderly Population Will Be Felt Worldwide
- Older Adults May Have Some Immunity to Swine Flu
- Martial Arts Training May Save Seniors' Hips
Returning to the Road Tricky After Injury
By eHolistic.com Published: 12/10/2008
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 10 (HealthDay News) -- You may have the drive to get behind the wheel again after orthopedic surgery or injury, but knowing when it's safe to resume driving isn't as simple as turning the key.
Orthopedic surgeons weigh in on the issue in the December issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.
"Deciding when a patient can return to driving is a difficult decision that may require information that is beyond what is commonly available to the treating physician," Dr. Edward Rodriquez, an orthopedic surgeon and instructor at Harvard University's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, said in a news release issued by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. "Driving is a multi-system task, and although we, as orthopedic surgeons, may be able to tell when a limb is strong enough to endure the physical demands of driving, many times there are other concerns that vary from patient to patient."
Universal guidelines don't exist for determining when a patient is road-ready, and only 19 states have testing procedures for patients. Also, only a handful of occupational therapy centers offer return-to-driving programs certified by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Rodriguez said.
Given patients' differing physical conditions and varying types of injuries, he recommended orthopedic surgeons and their patients start the process of determining driving fitness early. They should talk about how the recovery process will affect the patients' ability to drive and what may happen to reach that goal, such as whether recertification is necessary.
"The earlier you ask them, the sooner you can begin to make arrangements for retesting, if that's necessary, and for alternate transportation while you're in the recovery process," Rodriguez advised patients.
In addition to retesting or recertifying, he suggested patients discuss other options to make the return to driving less stressful, such as practicing their driving on less-traveled roads and in large parking lots, and driving only short distances until confidence is regained in his or her endurance and limitations.
More information
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has more about how to prevent orthopedic injuries.
-- Kevin McKeever
SOURCE: The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, news release, Dec. 1, 2008
Last Updated: Dec. 10, 2008
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