driving with right atr
I have read many posts about walking…but can anyone give me an idea when i can start driving? I have a 10 min commute to work and am tired of asking for rides. I have driven a few times with the boot on but my wife is a little uneasy about it.
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:56 pm
I drove lefty 3 weeks post-op. I had a right ATR. I have an automatic and I pulled my leg back in towards me and just took it slow. Dont hit anybody or u are screwed.
July 22nd, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Right ATR - I waited til doctor cleared me to drive, which was at 10 weeks.
I have a 30 min commute — for 9 weeks I had colleagues and husband driving me. It was a pain, but it got easier as time went by. I was not up to driving with left foot.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Even if technically it’s legal (which I doubt), the other party would have a nice lawsuit against you if you were at fault in an accident. I have a professional Class B license, so I absolutely cannot risk it.
Perhaps it would be safer to bicycle those ten minutes to work??
As for asking for rides, remember that people are happy to help, and you get to know people when you ask for help. That may sound corny, but if I think back to my days of hitchhiking all over Europe (mid-80’s), I remember that we two girls quickly understood the drivers’ motivation: a pleasure to help someone, to have company in the car, and lots of chatting. We never lived so well as when we asked for help with free rides on European Autobahns!!
So try hitchhiking with your boot out?? You’ll meet lots of people!!!
The sign you hold should say “Gotta get to WORK”.
Mary
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:11 am
I called my auto insurance company and they said I need a medical note clearing me to drive otherwise in the event of an accident they will not cover. My doctor won’t clear me until I’m out of the cast and I had a left foot ATR and drive automatic.
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:52 am
i busted my right ATR and drove myself to my 1st post-op appointment (exactly 7 days after surgery) and was fine. that said i was in a tight plaster splint with toes pointed down so i knew that any dangerous flexion was impossible. that’s the whole idea behind a cast. i should also note that i have a fat german car that sorta drives itself so i knew that pressing the throttle would be more a function of the the quad than of the calf or the ankle. if you can take side streets, avoid the freeway and only have a short distance to go i’d say it’s totally doable. but only if you feel it is…for me, my car, my town (side streets in los angeles are impossibly slow injured or not) it was no problem. you definitely need to be able to give yourself ample space and time to react, should you need to, so if you’re not mentally up to it, if you’re not generally a super-aware driver, or you have a long commute at a sensitive brake pedal (or throttle), then by all means, don’t risk your safety.
personally, i found the biggest hurdle early on was the fear. But i had no problem driving with the splint at weeks 1 and 2, and with the boot at weeks 3 on. i used my left foot to hold the brake at stop lights and yes, my tendon did get tired from simply pressing the gas, but overall it was fine, fine, fine. psychologically driving, for me, was great. it was the only time i felt felt free during those crazy restrictive first few weeks. but again, it’s all about what your body is telling you. if it feels wrong or scary there’s no reason to do it.
take care and know that you will get there! you will!
July 23rd, 2008 at 9:11 am
I have right ATR. I also have a 10 minute (freeway) commute. I waited for my Dr to clear me. It just wasn’t worth the risk. I’ve been FWB, two shoes for 2 weeks and driving is the most tiring thing for me. You never know when you’ll have to slam on your brakes, and unless you are a trained race car driver you don’t have the “brake with the left” instinct. I would at least wait out your +/- six weeks tendon heeling time.
My husband would bring me to work M-F, but on M and F my mom would pick me up. Definately not as embarassing as it was in high school! LOL. It was nice to spend some time with my mom though, I actually was thinking about keeping the Monday arrangement. This last weekend, I drove more than I had since my injury. I was very happy to hand my husband the keys at the end of the weekend.
The worst thing about not driving? My husband and mom ganged up and started calling the whole thing, “Driving Miss Dani”.