Re: What to look for in a new car in terms of easy ...

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/24/2006 10:47:45 A.M. Central Standard Time, jdytart@... writes:

I hope this doesn't seem like a really off-the-wall question, but Ijust finished A patient's guide to knee and hip replacement by IrwinSilber, and he talks about how it is difficult to get into and out ofcertain kinds of cars easily both before and after your surgery. Right now I have a manual shift - Suburu Forester - and since it ishard on my left knee whenever I shift, I am planning to get, at thevery least, an automatic shift. It is also kind of low and cramped toget in and out of. I have just been looking through Consumer'sReports car issue, and they are rather vague about this"accessability" feature (obviously it's not their primary concern) -so I would like suggestions/advice from any of you who have a car thatis either great or lousy from this point of view.Thanks,Judy

Hi Judy, I had my second TKR Feb 2 and we bought a little Ford Ranger Truck for me. I love trucks but the other one was too high. This one is perfect. I drove my daughters stick shift Mustang yesterday and wasn't sure if I was ever going to be able to get out of it.

[Guest guest]

When my left knee went “south” a year ago I had

never owned anything but manual shift cars. I was told by my sports med

doc to immediately change that – so I bought a Toyota Prius. I haven’t

had my TKR yet but it is very easy to get in and out of with a very

stiff, dysfunctional, painful left knee – and gets around 47 MPG.

claire

Callahan Goodman

claire@...

From: Joint Replacement [mailto:Joint Replacement ] On Behalf Of Critrkrazy@...

Sent: Friday, March 24, 2006 8:57

AM

Joint Replacement

Subject: Re:

What to look for in a new car in terms of easy ...

In a message dated 3/24/2006 10:47:45

A.M. Central Standard Time, jdytart@... writes:

I hope this doesn't seem like a really

off-the-wall question, but I

just finished A patient's guide to knee and hip replacement by Irwin

Silber, and he talks about how it is difficult to get into and out of

certain kinds of cars easily both before and after your surgery.

Right now I have a manual shift - Suburu Forester - and since it is

hard on my left knee whenever I shift, I am planning to get, at the

very least, an automatic shift. It is also kind of low and cramped to

get in and out of. I have just been looking through Consumer's

Reports car issue, and they are rather vague about this

" accessability " feature (obviously it's not their primary concern) -

so I would like suggestions/advice from any of you who have a car that

is either great or lousy from this point of view.

Thanks,

[Guest guest]

This is an interesting question and one this group should explore more.

I bought a Mazda Astina and about 12 months later was buying my mother in

law a car.

She suggested the smaller car in the Mazda range and I said no go for the

Astina because it is bigger - but not too big, thinking that she was going

for the small one because of cost (I was paying for the car).

She wanted the smaller car because it was the only car she had ever sat in

that had nice high seats. She said it was the easiest car to get in she had

come across.

She is 82 has 2 knees, one hip and multipul other bone problems.

Aussie Margaret

RTHR 1990 revised 2004

Send instant messages to your online friends http://au.messenger.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for all the great feedback on the car accessibility question.

I am collecting them all and will be trying out a number of different

ones before long... When I make my choice, I'll let everyone know.

Judy

>

> This is an interesting question and one this group should explore more.

>

> I bought a Mazda Astina and about 12 months later was buying my

mother in

> law a car.

>

> She suggested the smaller car in the Mazda range and I said no go

for the

> Astina because it is bigger - but not too big, thinking that she was

going

> for the small one because of cost (I was paying for the car).

>

> She wanted the smaller car because it was the only car she had ever

sat in

> that had nice high seats. She said it was the easiest car to get in

she had

> come across.

>

> She is 82 has 2 knees, one hip and multipul other bone problems.

>

> Aussie Margaret

> RTHR 1990 revised 2004

>

> Send instant messages to your online friends

http://au.messenger.

>

[Guest guest]

<<<When my left knee went “south” a year ago I had never owned anything but manual shift cars. I was told by my sports med doc to immediately change that >>>

It was over 20 yrs ago that my left knee also went "south". I questioned my Ortho Surgeon about giving up my manual shift rig, and he stressed "NO" to me. He said prior to driving I should use the shift/clutch to exercise the new joint. Yeah yeah, I probably looked funny sitting in my rig going nowhere sipping my coffee and pushing the clutch in out in out in out. But when I was ready to drive, those muscles in my leg were pumped and ready. I've had subsequent revisions and hip replacements/revisions and am still driving a clutch (on my 2nd 4runner).

[Guest guest]

Hi All, I don't drive, but I do ride in a car! We got a 2004 Honda CRV. At the time that was the only vehicle I could get in and out of without to much difficulty. It has grabbars above the window, on the front and I also use the steering wheel getting in and out of it still today! I agree - it depends on ones height! I am 5'10 with long legs, so sedans were to low for me to get in and out of. We had a Mercury Sable before getting the Honda.

New Messenger with Voice. Call regular phones from your PC and save big.

[Guest guest]

For me, minivans have been the answer to access. I own a Dodge Caravan,

and hae been renting cars at least once a month...on trips to Florida. I

have had big vans, little vans mid size cars and full size cars...

What I noticed is that if I had to step down into the car, it was harder

on my hips and knees. Van entry is on the same level, there fore in and

out are the same, and you do not have to push up with your legs inorder

to get out. I recently tried a Mazda van and that was Ok too...My sister

in law has a Honda CRX, and for that you step up and in, and it was no

better than a regular car. my husband has an Accord, and that was easier

than the Camray(Toyoto) and the Nissan...do not remember the model- the

Maxima was just as good as the Accord...A lot of the accessibility was

dependent upon the front seat room and the height of the seats for me!

MJ

Jane Le Kanides

http://www.my.tupperware.com/maryjanelk Visit my online Tupperware store

[Guest guest]

Judy:

When you finish you investigation could you write something up and

upload it into the files area of this forum. Then just tell us the

name of the file. We can all then go and read it. It will also be

there for others to refer to in the furture.

I have not looked at everything in the files area but this is a good

place to store suggestions, FAQ's and other important things for the

group. I am not the admin. maybe somethings should be deleted from

the area as well. I have been gathering info (mostly knees stuff)

since I first joined the group and would be willing to edit it and

post it in the files as kind of a FAQ. Just thinking of ways that we

can make this more informative to old and new members.

Don

PS One other thing. When we reply to posts it appends the first

message to the reply. Problem is when replies of replies of replies

are made the messages can be quite long. I get your messages sent to

my email address as a collection of all messages that day. So could

you all delete all or most of the source message before you send your

reply. THANKS

>

> Thanks for all the great feedback on the car accessibility

question.

> I am collecting them all and will be trying out a number of

different

> ones before long...

[Guest guest]

I stand corrected there is only one item in the file area. It is a

link to joint replacement for younger folks.

As I stated in the other post I will compile a list of things that I

have saved monitoring the group for the last several months. If

anyone has edited (note edited) info regarding hips I would include

it as well. You can send it to me privately.

Don

> >

> > Thanks for all the great feedback on the car accessibility

> question.

> > I am collecting them all and will be trying out a number of

> different

> > ones before long...

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Judy,

Thanks for this great question.

I was having back problems after my TLH Revision, nothing serious but

enough to send me to the Chiropractor. He recommended I adjust my car

seat so that the front part of the seat is just a little lower than the

back part of the seat, in order to keep my knees below the level of my

hips.

My car does not have that ability so I sat on a pillow, it relieved the

stress on my lower back. The ability to control the tip of the seat

will be on my list for my next car for sure.

Enjoy!

Beverly in Austin

TLHR 93, TLH Revision 2005

> Message: 8

> Date: Sat, 25 Mar 2006 00:26:34 -0000

> From: " Judy " <jdytart@...>

> Subject: Re: What to look for in a new car in terms of easy ...

>

> Thanks for all the great feedback on the car accessibility question.

> I am collecting them all and will be trying out a number of different

> ones before long... When I make my choice, I'll let everyone know.

>

> Judy

[Guest guest]

-That's a good thought, Don. My search for a vehicle is just

beginning so it won't happen right away.

In regard to your problem with long run-on posts, I will try to be

more diligent cutting them. It's one reason I don't get messages

emailed to me.

Judy

[Guest guest]

I have a Mercury Cougar Manual Shift which is my dream car. Not so dreamy immediatly post surgery what with the manual shift an all but I worked it out. I found the biggest help for me was to remember to slide the seat as far back as it would go before entering or exiting. My car is low to the ground but with the seat back not too bad. I used the shift pedal as incentive to rehabing my left knee as soon as I could. Otherwise I sat in the back seat of hubby's Mercury Tracer for the first few weeks post op on both knees.....

Contessa

-- Re: What to look for in a new car in terms of easy ...

In a message dated 3/24/2006 10:47:45 A.M. Central Standard Time, jdytart@... writes:

I hope this doesn't seem like a really off-the-wall question, but Ijust finished A patient's guide to knee and hip replacement by IrwinSilber, and he talks about how it is difficult to get into and out ofcertain kinds of cars easily both before and after your surgery. Right now I have a manual shift - Suburu Forester - and since it ishard on my left knee whenever I shift, I am planning to get, at thevery least, an automatic shift. It is also kind of low and cramped toget in and out of. I have just been looking through Consumer'sReports car issue, and they are rather vague about this"accessability" feature (obviously it's not their primary concern) -so I would like suggestions/advice from any of you who have a car thatis either great or lousy from this point of view.Thanks,Judy

Hi Judy, I had my second TKR Feb 2 and we bought a little Ford Ranger Truck for me. I love trucks but the other one was too high. This one is perfect. I drove my daughters stick shift Mustang yesterday and wasn't sure if I was ever going to be able to get out of it.

[Guest guest]

Thanks to everyone who replied to my off-the-wall question about

cars... This seems to be a topic lots of people have some definite

ideas about. Well, I have read them all carefully and thought about

what I want as well as what I need - read the Consumer's Union Car

Report issue cover to cover - and we have bought a Toyota Prius. (We

don't have it yet, it's still out in the Pacific somewhere). I think

it will work well for me and my knees, and of course I will be happy

to have such outstanding gas mileage, especially in California where I

think gas prices are higher than anywhere in the country.

Thanks, Judy

>

>

> I have a Mercury Cougar Manual Shift which is my dream car. Not so

dreamy

> immediatly post surgery what with the manual shift an all but I

worked it

> out. I found the biggest help for me was to remember to slide the

seat as

> far back as it would go before entering or exiting. My car is low to the

> ground but with the seat back not too bad. I used the shift pedal as

> incentive to rehabing my left knee as soon as I could. Otherwise I

sat in

> the back seat of hubby's Mercury Tracer for the first few weeks post

op on

> both knees.....

> Contessa

> -------Original Message-------

>

>