How Long After Knee Replacement Can You Drive?

Written by: Dr. Samantha Smith PT, DPT (Physical Therapist & Knee Replacement Specialist) 

Total knee replacement surgery (or total knee arthroplasty) is becoming a very popular orthopaedic surgery to fix ongoing knee pain and dysfunction. Approximately 1.5 million people in the United States underwent a total knee replacement in 2022. Most patients can return to normal life after this knee surgery.

If you have had a knee replacement, you probably are eager to get back to your life pain free. This includes doing your errands, social, and recreational activities or even just sleeping with no pain. A knee replacement is a very successful surgery to have at end-stage arthritis. However, the rehabilitation progress takes many months to complete. You will have poor balance, strength, and range of motion due to the pain, swelling, and weakness post surgery.

Driving After Total Knee Arthroplasty

If you were an active person before surgery, by 4-6 weeks, your pain should be under control and you should be able to walk fairly well. If you have been inactive prior to surgery, you might need a little bit longer to gain some strength back - between 6-10 weeks. 

With a right partial knee replacement surgery, you should expect to return to driving by 4-6 weeks after surgery. If you had the left partial knee replacement, you should expect to get behind the wheel by 2-4 weeks after surgery. Many patients after a partial knee replacement surgery wait till they are off narcotic pain medications to return to driving.

Between 6-10 weeks is good general timeframe to expect to drive again after a knee replacement.  Driving after a total knee replacement can be difficult if you drive too soon. The answer to this question depends on which knee was replaced and the person as a whole. If you were not driving before surgery, it is possible it will take you longer than normal to get behind the wheel.

It is important to take into consideration:

• Am I off pain meds (specifically narcotic pain medication)? Pain medications will alter your ability to drive safely. It is also illegal to drive under the influence of narcotic pain medications.

• Can I safety get in and out of the car? For several weeks after surgery, you will have weakness and balance impairments. Your range of motion will also be limited causing difficulty bending your knee while driving.

• Can I manage my walker or cane in and out of the car? Again, balance is crucial to ensuring you are safe with driving. Managing a walker or cane on your own can be cumbersome and frustrating after a knee replacement surgery.

• Can I sit in one position for an extended period of time? After surgery, your leg will swell easily if left in a downward position for too long. If you are driving, you will experience increased swelling due to this positioning.

• Can I slam on the breaks if needed? Breaking speed is a crucial part of driving. Pain medication, muscle weakness can negatively affect your breaking speed in your right foot. Your pre surgical reflexes and muscle strength will be significantly different post surgery.

• Is the pain going to distract me from driving safely? Your mental alertness is imperative to resume driving. Pain can distract you from all the chaos of driving. It is normal to experience pain while driving, but the pain should be very minimal. Physical therapy can help you have less pain in your knee.

• Is my leg strong enough? You’d be surprised how much muscle strength and coordination it takes in your right leg to drive a car. If you have an automatic transmission vehicle, this will be much easier. Physical therapy will help you strengthen your leg.
  
  

Research shows

Most of the time, depending on who you are, your surgeon will clear you to drive with it 4-6 weeks. According to research, it takes six weeks for your reaction time to return to normal, if you have had a right total knee replacement (right total knee arthroplasty) . Reaction time is very important when driving. You need to be able to stop at a red light, switch your foot to the appropriate petal for a green light, slam on the breaks due to traffic and park your car. It is very important to have appropriate reaction time when driving, just in case. 

If you had the left total knee replacement, you could begin driving around 4 weeks depending on your pain levels and use of narcotic medication. 

Practice Before

Practice sitting in the car as a passenger. If you are able to manage the stiffness and pain in one semi-movable position for as long as you need to drive, then that is a good sign you can tolerate driving. It is normal to still have stiffness and aching in your knee when you are driving.

Practice driving around your neighborhood first. Practice slamming on the breaks and see how your knee feels. Are you able to react quickly? Is your response times appropriate? Does your knee feel okay after slamming on the breaks? If yes, this is a good sign you are ready to drive again. 

Practice driving short distances first, then slowly increase your drive time. Maybe drive to your local grocery store first; if it goes well, then make that drive to your doctors office or work place. It is recommended to take a road trip by 8-12 weeks after surgery. If you plan on a long drive, prepare to stop every 1-2 hours.

Practice putting your walker or cane in the car, if you are still using one. Practice carrying a heavy bag to and from the car. If you are planning to return to driving without help, try not to rely on family members to assist you. You want to be able to confidently return to these activities without worry.

Practice walking from your car to your front door often. Once you master this, practice walking from your car to your neighbors house. Try to walk a little further each time so you can confidently know you will be able to park and walk when you are out driving. If you are worried about your overall endurance, consider a handicap parking placard.

Balance and Strength 

If you had a right knee replacement, your physical therapist or surgeon should be able to tell you if you knee is strong enough for driving. You will need good strength of your quads and calf muscles to drive. It is hard to believe driving can be exhausting on your muscles, but after a surgery, it is! 

Balance is also a important consideration because getting in and out of the car requires some coordination and balance. Especially, if you are carrying items with you such as a purse, groceries, or walker. Physical therapy can help you have a quicker recovery process when it comes to balance and strength.

Safety First

If you are on the fence if you should drive yet, then the answer is… you shouldn't. Your safety and safety of others on the road is very important. It is always wise to take extra caution when it comes to driving. A knee replacement surgery is a big surgery that should be taken seriously. There are many factors that cause our driving to be different post surgery. You are ultimately going to make the decision for yourself, but always talk to your doctor or physical therapist to see if they think it is the right time for to drive. 

Other options

If you are unable to drive yourself, using public transportation through your local city is a great option. Many times churches, local charities have driving programs to help people after surgery. Medicare or Medicaid might also provide assistance with driving costs. Please check with your insurance company. If you are unable to find resources, ask your doctor to refer you to a social worker for more resources. Social workers specialize in providing resources for those in need.