I’ve been very focused on being non weight bearing. Since I had the surgery on my right knee, I avoided driving as long as possible.
I started driving again this weekend.
I asked Rusty as Tassinary Physical Therapy what his thoughts were on driving. He said I need to consult with Dr. Behr, but he also pointed out that I don’t have much coordination or control in my foot/leg right now. He suggested I practice a little first. So I did.
On Saturday, I just sat in the car (getting in and out was a whole other exercise) and checked to see if I could get into the driving position. I could, and it felt fine. I did not feel any pain at all. This was a good sign. I practiced pushing the pedals. That is when I realized what Rusty told me. It was hard. I didn’t have full coordination. After practicing for a while, I got more comfortable with it.
Sunday I backed the car out of the garage. This was harder than I thought. I didn’t have the strength (or confidence that I wouldn’t hurt the microfracture) when I needed to push the brake harder. We back out onto a short (7-8m) hill, so you need to push the brakes pretty hard. I had to use my left foot for this. I am not a double foot driver, but I think I will become more of one.
I also drove around the block once later in the day Sunday. It felt ok, but I am sure glad I was taking it slow. The muscles were learning again and doing well, but it isn’t instant.
Monday I was able to drive a little more and it was ok. Getting in and out of the car in a parking lot was much harer. This too will get better over time.
I am still going to limit my driving as much as possible, but it is good to know that I can get around more on my own.