How long do you have to wait until you can drive after open heart surgery?

As a healthcare professional with expertise in post-operative care, I can provide you with guidelines regarding driving after open heart surgery. After open heart surgery, it's important to allow your body sufficient time to heal, particularly the incision sites and the breastbone, which is often split to access the heart. The general recommendation is to avoid driving for a period of six weeks following the surgery. This extended period is crucial to ensure that the breastbone, or sternum, has had adequate time to heal and to reduce the risk of complications such as injury or infection that could arise from the physical activity involved in driving. During the initial recovery phase, your movements may also be limited and you might not have full control or strength, which are important considerations for safely operating a vehicle. It's also advised to avoid other activities that could put strain on your sternum, such as outdoor bicycling or motorcycle riding, for the same duration. However, you can ride as a passenger in a car at any time, as this does not involve the physical exertion that driving does. Please remember that these are general guidelines and individual recovery times may vary. Always consult with your healthcare provider for personalized advice based on your specific health condition and recovery progress.

Driving: you can ride as a passenger in a car at any time. avoid driving, outdoor bicycling, or motorcycle riding for six weeks after surgery. this time period is recommended to allow your breastbone (sternum) to heal. your movements might also be limited and slow before the six weeks are up.