Driving

[Inanotherlife]

Hello,

Has anyone any experience of the adaption on an automatic car pedals that allows you to drive using your left foot rather than your right?

Also, my right thumb and wrist are so painful, I’m struggling to wipe after using the toilet, I’m looking at the aids available but also trying to use my left hand. Has anyone got any tips for using their non dominant hand?

Thanks

[KittyJ]

practice makes perfect. I recently broke my humerus neck and had to use my non dominant hand for everything. It got easier each time so much that I still use that hand for a lot of things even though my dominant arm is a lot better.

the car thing sounds complicated because there wouldn’t be the space to move the pedals over to the left side. Hopefully there’s a mechanic here who is better able to help.

[Inanotherlife in reply to KittyJ]

Thanks KittyJ.

I hope you’re recovering ok from your neck injury. Take care

[KittyJ in reply to Inanotherlife]

Arm but yes recovering, albeit slowly 😊

[Gnarli in reply to KittyJ]

Oooh but that sounds painful. I do hope you recover soon.

[KittyJ in reply to Gnarli]

Agony as it couldn’t have a cast but I’m getting there, thank you 🙏🏻

[AgedCrone]

Unfortunately I’m don,t think brake/accelerator pedals can ever be adapted like that.

I,m afraid for using the non dominant hand……practice is the answer.I recently couldn’t use my dominant hand to use an electric tooth brush after wrist surgery…..l but after a few days it all came together .

Unless you have a permanent injury to your dominant hand, RA problems in all joints usually come & go……so time is the answer.

Hope yours eases soon.

[Inanotherlife]

Thanks AgedCrone, I’m practising and I’ve got to say, it’s easier than it was a few days ago. Hope your wrist is getting better. Was it surgery because of RA?

My thumb joint isn’t good and there’s a lump on my wrist underneath it, it’s so painful!

Started Tocilizumab this week but no improvement so far.

[AgedCrone in reply to Inanotherlife]

No…my CT Decompresssion was needed because of damaged nerves in my neck….which now are causing trouble in my feet.

Talk about topping & tailing it!

[cyberbarn]

pedals can be adapted. Here is a website that explains it ergomobility.co.uk/pedal-ad...

When I bought my last car from a dealer that specialises in disability I said I would prefer not to have an automatic but he said if I was planning on keeping the car a long time to get an automatic as the pedals can be adapted in a variety of ways. So with an automatic already, yes, you can have pedals adapted.

[KittyJ in reply to cyberbarn]

I suppose you’d have to make sure you buy a car that has the space there for the additional pedal. Interesting link 😊

[AgedCrone in reply to KittyJ]

And I would imagine the bank balance? I would think that would be expensive wouldn’t you? Did you look at the link? It looked like a tailor made package didn’t it?

[KittyJ in reply to AgedCrone]

Yes I did see it, I’m sure, like you say, it’d be expensive.

[aliplayspiano]

I had the same toilet issue re having to use non dominant hand, can only say that it got better with practice and now I use that hand all the time! Re tocilizumab, give it time. It took about 6 to 8 weeks before I started to feel benefit and about 3 months until I felt a lot better. That was nearly 6 years ago and it’s still working well for me.

[Inanotherlife]

Yes, looks expensive but a great idea if you can do it.

Thanks for the replies, it’s good to know your thoughts.