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The Effect of Variable Lower Extremity Immobilization Devices on Emergency Brake Response Driving Outcomes
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INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Immobilization devices such as surgical shoes and walking boots are commonly prescribed by podiatric physicians in the treatment of a variety of lower extremity pathologies and during the post-operative recovery period, but may have the potential to affect a patient’s ability to maintain a safe level of control over the accelerator and brake pedals while operating an automobile. The objective of this investigation was to assess driving outcomes in a group of healthy participants under variable foot wear conditions.
METHODS: Following IRB approval, the braking performances of participants were evaluated with a computerized driving simulator. We assessed three driving outcomes (mean emergency brake response time, frequency of abnormally delayed braking responses, and frequency of inaccurate brake responses) under three variable footwear conditions (regular shoe gear, surgical shoe, and walking boot).
RESULTS: We found that mean brake response times were abnormally delayed in the walking boot compared to both the regular shoe (0.736 seconds vs. 0.575 seconds, p < 0.001 seconds) and surgical shoe (0.736 seconds vs. 0.611 seconds, p < 0.001). We found that abnormally delayed brake responses occurred more frequently in the surgical shoe (18.5% vs. 2.5%, p < 0.001) and the walking boot (55.5% vs. 2.5%, p < 0.001) compared to the regular shoe. And we found that inaccurate brake responses occurred more frequently in the walking boot compared to both the surgical shoe (18.0% vs. 4.0%, p < 0.001) and the regular shoe (18.0% vs. 2.0%, p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: The results of these investigations provide podiatric physicians with a better understanding of how to assess the risk and how to appropriately advise their patients who have been prescribed lower extremity immobilization devices with respect to the safe operation of an automobile.
*Please don't hesitate to contact AJM with any questions/concerns. He's happy to provide you with a .pdf of this poster if you email him.
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