Driving after hip replacement

Hi Leanne. I am in the same position as you and just 3 weeks post op with follow up appt not until 14 weeks !! My other half has a hospital procedure when I'll be 5.5 weeks post op and as he won't be able to drive home I was going to. I have read that if you are able to walk unaided and do an emergency stop you are ok. It was also suggested that we drive a very short journey first to check we are ok and no after effects. Hope this helps but waiting to hear advice from others on here too.

Personally I wouldn't drive until I was signed off from the doctors because it can invalidate your insurance.  Also although you feel fine today you might not tomorrow, after 3 hips I can honestly say the one piece of advice i will always give is to follow the 6 wk recovery rules no matter how you feel. 

Can you not ask your GP to chase the 6wk check up for you? 

Hi,

As far as I know, you can drive after 6 weeks if everything is ok. My doctor says no restrictions after week 8...

Best wishes,

Desire

Leanne,

The advice my doctor gave me was, if you feel fine enough to be able to drive AND you are no longer taking any narcotic pain killers, then you should be fine. Their advice was to just drive around an empty parking lot or open space a little just to be sure you are comfortable. I'm 4 weeks post op and have no issues driving whatsoever. It will vary from person to person though. I've not heard anything about having to get written clearance from your doctor but that may also vary from area to area, country to country.

Best wishes

Cormac

hi leanne, 

looks like you are doing great !!!

Is your car automatic or manual shift?  Where do you live and which hip were you operated on?

I think with automatic, you are able to drive after 2 weeks (if clear headed ) - 

With first THR my PT cleared me (so to speak) for driving - I was 5 weeks post-op at that time - we practiced getting in and out of the car (is more challenging han actually driving) and moving my feet from one pedat to the other --- also practiced emergency stop !!

With 2nd hip it was different as I did not have PT at that time - My 6 weeks appointment was also cancelled and put 4 weeks further, 10 weeks post-op ... I asked the secretary if what I sould do about clearance for drinving --

I was then told that the surgeon will lift most restrictions at 6 weeks post-op, which includes driving, but that doesn't mean that he is the one who authorizes driving ...that would make the surgeon liable or something 

So it is our own responsibility - if you feel good, are confident , go for it - 

have someone with you the first time okay ...

watch the instruction on you tube how to get in and out of the car ... phew ... akward because I ahve a tiny, low seated , stick shift Fiat ...

You go girl - please keep us posted

big warm hug

renee

Hi Leanne, 

I drove to my six week post op appointment and was fine, I'm 75 and wasn't going to let anything stop me having the freedom of driving.     I told the surgeon that I'd driven and he wasn't too bothered, just as long as you feel safe in your own mind. My car is manual and I do find even now after six months that it is pretty painful if you are stuck in traffic and changing gear all the time. 

It is difficult getting in and out of the car, a friend of mine raised the seat as high as it would go which was an improvement and it is difficult if somebody parks too close to your door. 

As for back ache, I still sleep mostly on my back and you do ache as I don't think I move very much once I've gone to sleep.

Just hope everything is ok for you at your check up, keep up the good work.

kind regards, 

Margaret.

 

If we think logically about it, so long as we are not on strong pain killers, our leg movements are far better soon operation than before. Now our mobility restrictions are just precautionary and can be monitored whereas before we didn't have good mobility and couldn't do a thing about it, but still drove !!!!!

One thing I neglected to mention is that I drive an automatic and I had my left hip replaced, so that certainly makes a difference! If you drive a manual shift you might still have some issues prior to 6 weeks. Same with driving an automatic if your right hip was replaced. Still, it depends on how you feel and remember...be honest with yourself. 

Sorry to put a downer on things but I strongly advise you to talk to your insurance company. If they are happy to cover you then there is no problem.

But what if you had an accident and hadn't been cleared to drive by your consultant? You could find your self having no insurance cover.

My insurance was happy as long as the consultant was happy, and it was eight weeks before he cleared me; I saw him at six weeks but when he examined me he said I needed two more weeks. It was a blow but better than having an accident and finding I was driving uninsured.

Hi Leanne  - you will get many different replies on this issue.  My experience was that I asked my insurance company  and they were not in the least interested in my hip replacement.  My consultant wasn't interested in whether and when I drove.  I drove to my six week check up because I felt I was safe and up to it.  He signed off my sick note and I returned to work the next day.  I drive an automatic but because it was the right hip it made no difference to how soon I got back to driving.  I think even if it had been my left I would still not have hurried things because my thigh felt uncomfortable and rather painful just sitting in a car seat earlier than 6 weeks. Best wishes sylvia