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

Counseling patients regarding when to return to driving following a foot and ankle procedure can be difficult, and 6 to 9 weeks is often recommended based on brake reaction times quoted in the literature. However, patients are ultimately responsible for the decision to drive. We aimed to determine when patients actually return to driving following outpatient foot and ankle surgery, what influences their decision, and whether any adverse events were experienced. Thirty-seven patients who underwent a right-sided foot and ankle procedure by a single orthopedic surgeon in an outpatient surgery center between September 2016 and December 2017 were recruited retrospectively for this study. Seventeen patients met inclusion criteria and participated in a telephone survey that inquired about their experiences and attitudes regarding return to driving following right-sided foot or ankle surgery. Of the patients surveyed, 100% drove a motor vehicle as their primary mode of transportation. Ten patients (59%) recalled having a discussion with the surgeon regarding when to resume driving, of which only 4 (23.5%) returned to driving at the suggested time they remembered. One patient (6%) returned to driving 2 weeks sooner, and 1 patient (6%) returned to driving 4 weeks later than recommended. No patient reported experiencing a driving-related adverse event. This study suggests that despite surgeons' recommendations, patients are returning to driving sooner than traditionally recommended. The surgeon's advice regarding when to return to driving may not be as influential as a patient's own self-assessment of their readiness to operate a vehicle after outpatient foot and ankle surgery.