Long Distance Driving

Hi Pete,

I am 13 weeks post op , I have just driven 270 miles to my brothers and was fine with a couple of short breaks to stretch my legs.  I guess it is how you feel, the age old thing on here of recovering at different paces!!  I think I would have been ok a couple of weeks ago to have driven that sort of distance - but probably not any longer ago 

Good luck

Chris

Hi  I have just driven  250 ish miles on my own at 12 weeks with breaks. I attempted it before that but sitting in the same position  for a long time was taxing  so my husband took over after 170 miles or so. . It was helpful to build up to it to see what I could manage as I drive long distances on my own quite regularly. I started with local trips at 5 weeks and built up the distances. I did find that I was more tired than usual after the journey.

 

Pete, I did to much riding in a car at about day 9 after thr posterior. A day or two later, I had internal bleeding and really swelled bad and now have knee problems and cant get my leg to bend correctly. My surgeon said it could have been from sitting in car seat for a few hours, they said its really bad during heeling. I wish someone told me that before! Last week I was at 3 weeks post op and wanted to go to my camp 1.5 hour easy ride. My surgeon said ok, but really preferred I didn't because of my swelling issue. I felt great after surgery and they all told me to get up and move around to help heeling. So I did, and maybe a bit to much.

Good luck

Hello Pete, I tried to travel about 100 miles after 2 weeks and was torturous, that being said I slowly was able to take longer trips in the car as my leg was healing. I did find that using a seat cushion that I bought from Costco and using pillows on the sides of my leg helped to brace it for all the bumps in the road. Another thing that helped was getting out of the car to stretch at every rest area...I recently took a trip to the lake, 200 miles in a mustang convertible and realized that the car seat was much too low and not very comfortable riding with my new hip. I am hoping my trip traveling from Las Vegas to California this next week will be tolerable as I will be without my cushion... Good Luck to you!!

My best advice is if you must travel, Get a big fluffy pillow and sit on it. It has helped me for short trips. I mean short!

Passenger or driver. Auto or stick?  Passenger after 2-3 weeks. I started driving 3 weeks after posterior approach Automatic 

I think the crucial thing is to stop every hour or so and have 10 mins stretching and walking round service station or wherever . I've been going to Suffolk with my daughter for the last 4 weekends.. 2 and s half hours and I really feel

It if we don't stop! I also do lots of lying about when we get there!! And a bit of walking but not much.. as I have another hip op scheduled for 3 weeks time! Last one June 2nd. 

It is a help to discuss on forum as otherwise what else? Gps don't really know and visits to consultants clinics are few and far between. I had mine done at UCHL by the way. 

Merelina

Hi monkeypearl,

Driving is still one of the most painful things I have to do--orther than sitting in a car. I have an SUV (Terrain) and it is so hard to raise my hip that high. I just got it before the surgery and now I'm looking for another car.  I had my heart set on a new Mustang until I read about it in the forum about being very uncomfortable.  So, what does one do? Bikes are out because my butt won't take it, as is hitchhiking. I guess most people have different aches and pains that make some things nearly impossible. I wouldn't attempt to take a drive anywhere. Just going 2 miles to Wal-Mart is so painful.  It might not be the same for you, though.  Good luck.

Firstly make sure you have a seat wedge to support you-there are many available on line. Get the seat as high as possible anyway, but a wedge will fill the dip and be more comfortable. At 6 weeks and automatic car in UK traffic  I found about 30 miles enough. and then a very good break or change of driver. I did not need to do 200miles until a year later so not much help to judge from that. Whatever you try do take breaks and walk about so you don't get stiff.

Hi.  I'm coming up on 1 year post op in about a month.  Per doctors orders, I didn't drive for about 4 to 6 weeks I think. Once I did get back to driving, it was short distances. I had THR on the right hip which I believe delayed my jumping right back into driving. Overall, I healed really well and rather quickly. You really don't want to over do anything. I still have stiffness/achiness when I stand up from sitting too long, especially on a sofa - but that may be partially back issue. I do find myself having to stand and kind of shake it out a bit before I start to walk.  I equate this to being like the Tin Man in wizard of Oz. I say don't push it to far too fast. I think back to the pain I had before the new hip and don't ever want to go back there!!  Take your time. Good luck.