Unnecessary Driving Restrictions After Surgery

A recent WSJ article reviewed new protocols to speed #post-operative-recovery. Patients bounce back faster from surgery with hospitals’ new recovery protocols. (http://on.wsj.com/1CE3M6x via @WSJ) The instruction to not drive for two weeks following surgery is a left-over from the days when lack of power steering,power brakes and automatic transmissions required physical work to drive a car. Unless patients are sedated with anti-anxiety or pain meds, in most cases, there should be no contraindication to driving a car. In many cases, the driver was more debilitated from the illness before surgery than afterward. It is time to reevaluate this unnecessary instruction. The morbidity from lack of independence can actually hinder post-operative recovery and lead to depression. Time to rethink #driving-restrictions.