Section 11: Musculoskeletal Disabilities

The driver of a motor vehicle must be able to perform complex muscular movements in order to safely operate a motor vehicle. Driving tasks requiring musculoskeletal function include steering, braking, reversing, accelerating, and maneuvering the vehicle. The reader is directed to the following articles for a review of motor functioning as it relates to driving: Eby, Trombley, Molnar, and Shope, 1998; Marottoli and Drickamer, 1993; Roberts and Roberts, 1993; Sabo and Shipp, 1989; Stelmach and Nahom, 1992.

Prevalence

Prevalence estimates on musculoskeletal impairments, as a whole, are difficult to obtain. Data from the Iowa 65+ Rural Health Study reveal that 13.6 percent of men and 17.4 percent of women report impaired upper limb flexibility. Thirty percent of men and 43 percent of women from the same study report impaired lower limb flexibility. In addition, 32 percent of males reported gross physical functional impairment compared to 48 percent of females (Cormoni-Huntley, Brick, Ostfeld, et al., 1986). Gross functional impairments were defined as an inability to do heavy housework, walk half a mile, or climb stairs, but not Activities of Daily Living limitations. Reasons for the gross functional impairments are not specified and are likely to include causes other than musculoskeletal dysfunction.

Figure 3 depicts the leading causes of disability among persons aged 15 years and older in the United States, 1991-1992 (Centers for Disease Control, 1994). As can be seen, arthritis and rheumatism are the leading causes of disability with back and spine problems the second most frequent cause. Stiffness or deformity of limbs was the sixth leading cause of disability during the same time period.

Figure 3: Leading causes of disability among persons aged 15 years and older in the United States, 1991-1992 (Centers for Disease Control, 1994).