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Reaction time and brake pedal force after total knee replacement: timeframe for return to car driving

PURPOSE: This prospective cohort study aimed to examine objective and subjective parameters in patients who underwent total knee replacement (TKR) to assess from when on driving a car can be deemed safe again. METHODS: Thirty patients (16 women, 14 men, age 66 ± 11 years) who received TKR of the rig...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Kirschbaum, Stephanie, Fuchs, Michael, Otto, Marion, Gwinner, Clemens, Perka, Carsten, Sentürk, Ufuk, Pfitzner, Tilman
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Springer Berlin Heidelberg 2020
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8458211/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32583024
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00167-020-06105-2
Descripción
Sumario:PURPOSE: This prospective cohort study aimed to examine objective and subjective parameters in patients who underwent total knee replacement (TKR) to assess from when on driving a car can be deemed safe again. METHODS: Thirty patients (16 women, 14 men, age 66 ± 11 years) who received TKR of the right knee and 45 healthy controls (26 women, 19 men, age 32 ± 9 years) were asked to perform an emergency braking manoeuvre using a driving simulator. Brake pedal force (BPF), neuronal reaction time (NRT), brake reaction time (BRT), and subjective parameters (pain, subjective driving ability) were measured preoperatively as well as 5 days, 3–4, and 6 weeks after TKR. RESULTS: Preoperative NRT was 506 ± 162 ms, BRT 985 ± 356 ms, and BPF 614 ± 292 N. NRT increased to 561 ± 218 ms, BRT to 1091 ± 404 ms and BPF decreased to 411 ± 191 N 5 days after TKR. Three weeks after surgery, NRT was 581 ± 164 ms and BRT 1013 ± 260 ms, while BPF increased to 555 ± 200 N. Only BPF showed significant differences (p < 0.01). In week 6, all parameters were restored to baseline levels; patients showed significant pain decrease and evaluated their driving ability as “good” again. CONCLUSION: BPF was the only parameter displaying a significant postoperative decrease. However, preoperative patients’ baseline levels and subjective confidence in driving ability were only reached 6 weeks after the operation. These results indicate that a minimum waiting period of 6 weeks should be considered before patients can safely participate in road traffic at their individual preoperative safety level again. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.