Driving with a Short Arm Cast in a Simulator

Abstract

Purpose. To test the ability to steer in a driving simulator in subjects with a short arm cast. Methods. 17 men and 13 women aged 23 to 67 (mean, 37) years who had a valid driver's licence were randomised to the cast-first group (n=16; 7 had the cast on the dominant arm) or the cast-second group (n=14; 8 had the cast on the dominant arm) and drove in a simulator. A short arm plaster-of-Paris cast was applied in a neutral position, allowing free movement of the metacarpophalangeal joints, thumb, and elbow joint. Outcome measures included the number of driving off track instances, the number of crashes, the lap time, and the effect of hand dominance on these parameters. Subjects were asked whether the cast had impeded their steering ability. Results. Subjects with or without a cast were comparable in terms of the number of driving off track instances, number of crashes, and lap time. Compared with no cast, the odds ratio (OR) of a subject in a cast driving off the track was 1.02Driving with a short arm cast in a simulator

Driving performance following a wrist fracture: A pilot study using a driving simulator

“…This was less apparent by the follow-up, for between-group and repeated-measures comparisons, arguably as those recovering from DRF gained confidence in their driving ability. These findings are consistent with the more cautious driving behaviour previously described in studies 13,20 analyzing the effect of wrist immobilisation on driving performance.…”

“…Driving simulation is a valid method of assessing driving performance in research settings for other populations 18,19 and has been used previously to assess driving performance of those with upper limb immobilisation. 13,20 To our knowledge, research-based assessment procedures for driving performance as measured by a driving simulator have not been previously described for individuals with any wrist trauma, including DRF managed with volar plate fixation. Although driving simulators are not practical for use in a clinical setting, the understanding gained from driving simulator research-based assessments will help guide clinical practice and fitness to drive recommendations.…”

Patients Who Undergo Rotator Cuff Repair Can Safely Return to Driving at 2 Weeks Postoperatively

“…Other studies have used driving simulators to assess driving fitness after upper-extremity procedures, in contrast to our study, which utilized real-world driving and analysis of adaptive behaviors in a naturalistic environment 13,21-23 . Simulator data are limited in their real-world application due to irreproducible driving physics 24 and unrealistic driving behaviors that arise from “a false sense of safety, responsibility, or competence.” 14 Notably, in a driving simulator study assessing driving fitness after total shoulder arthroplasty, multiple collisions and centerline crossings were observed over an 8-minute preoperative drive 21 , inaccurately reflecting real-world driving where the average driver has a collision once every 17.9 years 25 .…”

“…of adaptive behaviors in a naturalistic environment 13,[21][22][23] . Simulator data are limited in their real-world application due to irreproducible driving physics 24 and unrealistic driving behaviors that arise from "a false sense of safety, responsibility, or competence."…”