Are you an amputee? Whether this happened because of an ailment or simply because you were in military service, you need to wear comfortable clothes.
Note that wearing the right clothes makes it easier to dress yourself, and your caregivers will not have a hard time helping you dress too.
Here is what you need to know about adaptive clothing for amputees and how to choose the right type of clothes.
What Is Adaptive Clothing?
As the name suggests, adaptive clothing is simply clothing specifically designed for people with ailments or disabilities. Therefore, if you are an amputee, you need the right type of clothing to make dressing easier.
These clothes are easy to wear and, even better, allow you to have enough independence to dress without necessarily requiring help all the time.
Benefits Of Adaptive Clothing
Some of the benefits of adaptive clothing include the following.
1. Reducing Pressure And Pain
As an amputee, you may occasionally feel pain when wearing regular clothes. Therefore, you need the best adaptive clothing for amputees to reduce pressure and pain.
2. Independence
As a senior person and an amputee, your independence is still important. Therefore, if you are having a hard time wearing regular clothes, adaptive clothing makes it easier for you to retain your independence effortlessly.
3. Stress-free Dressing
You are likely going to feel frustrated with yourself if you can’t do a simple task like dressing yourself. Well, thanks to adaptive clothing for amputees, you will be able to continue dressing normally, with little to no help at all.
4. Confidence From Your Caregivers
If your caregivers are simply your family members who may not have any experience, they may constantly be worried about you. They may feel disheartened if they notice you are having a hard time dressing. They may also feel frustrated by it too.
However, with adaptive clothing, you should be able to dress without any hassles. Your caregivers will be confident enough to help you maintain your independence at any time.
5. Protecting Your Dignity
Always relying on someone else to help dress or undress can feel undignified with time. Whether it’s your loved one or an experienced caregiver, you may end up feeling obsolete. Well, adaptive clothing for amputees allows you to dress properly and keep your dignity.
How Can Amputations Affect A Person’s Ability To Get Dressed?
Clothes are basic necessities for everyone’s life. They will define your identity at whatever stage of your life. They also make a huge impression on other people. Wearing uncomfortable clothes may take away your joy of living, especially if you are an amputee.
If you want to continue living independently as an amputee, you need to find clothes that are convenient and comfortable.
As an amputee, you may have suffered some damage to your central nervous system resulting in restricted movement. You may have a hard time dressing. For instance, you’re likely going to have a hard time wearing clothes with fasteners, removing and putting on clothes.
On the other hand, if you are a lower limb amputee, you may require a lot of help removing clothes from your closet and putting them back in.
What Are The Best Types Of Adaptive Clothes For Amputees?
Adaptive clothes for amputees are available in different sizes, fabrics, and designs. Here are a few tips to help you find the right type of adaptive clothes for amputees.
- Choose stretchy fabric so that it is easy to wear and remove. Wearing tight clothes might pose a problem for an amputee and make things harder when it comes to dressing.
- A lot of designers out there have come up with adaptive clothes for amputees that help them hide their missing limbs. Therefore, if you are feeling a little self-conscious about it, you should be able to hide away without any issues.
- Choose shoes that are easy to wear, especially if you are an upper-limb amputee. You will have a hard time tying shoelaces, so slip-on and Velcro shoes are easier to wear.
Examples Of Clothing For Amputees
Most forms of adaptive clothing for disabled adults are also people with amputations. But, here are some specific examples of clothes for adaptive clothing for amputees to consider.
1. Tops
Avoid tops with buttons, especially if you don’t have both or one of your upper limbs. You can’t go wrong with tops that have button hooks since they are easy to button up. On the other hand, zippers come in handy for tops for amputees.
Alternatively, you can wear tops that go over your head unless you have pain or pressure in one of your upper limbs.
2. Undergarments
Bras are also tough to wear if you have an upper limb amputation. Therefore, you should invest in bras that go over your head without requiring clasps. Even better, you can choose those with a front clasp that is easy to do or undo.
3. Pants
Yes, you can’t go wrong with pants that don’t have any type of buttons or zippers. Even better, you can go wrong with pants that have an elastic waist since they are easy to pull up and off.
4. Shoes
For shoes, you need to wear something comfortable. You can choose slip-on sandals. However, if you are living in colder areas, choose sneakers that work perfectly for you if you are an amputee or have a prosthetic leg.
Where To Buy Adaptive Clothing For Amputees
Since most clothes manufacturers and designers have become aware of the needs of amputees and people who are physically challenged, you will not have a hard time finding the best clothes for yourself as an amputee.
You can shop from any of the local chain stores. Additionally, you can also find designers who specifically design adaptive clothes for amputees, but they may be a little expensive for you.
Here are some of my favorites:
Ovidis
Use code GWG10 to save 10% off regular prices.
Ovidis is a specialty manufacturer of clothing for people with physical or cognitive difficulties. They offer unique and innovative designs for easy and stress-free dressing by older adults, the disabled, or their caregivers.
Zappos
Zappos offers much more than adaptive shoes. They offer many adaptive clothing items as well from many of the popular adaptive clothing brands. Plus, they have an Advisory Council that reviews and selects the items they choose to sell.
Dignity Pajamas
Dignity Pajamas has created a nice niche in adaptive sleepwear for men and women. They offer many styles of sleep shirts, pajamas, and gowns with open backs and velcro closures.
Amazon Adaptive Clothing
Being one of the world’s largest retailers, Amazon offers a wide selection of adaptive clothing from many of the most popular manufacturers. Another benefit to purchasing from Amazon is their easy to navigate website and generous return policies.
Etsy
Etsy is a great place to find one-of-a-kind adaptive clothing pieces that aren’t mass-marketed. Some Etsy sellers even offer custom-made items for special situations or will make special sizes for larger or smaller people.
JCPenney
JCPenney offers a decent selection of adaptive clothing made by standard clothing manufacturers like St. John’s Ba, a.n.a., and Worthington. Plus sizes are available too.
You can also find adaptive clothing through brands dedicated specifically to the craft. A few examples include:
Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive
Perhaps a surprising addition to the list is well-known fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger who has a line of adaptive clothing for both adults and children. His shop is a great choice for the more fashion-forward person.
Seven7 Adaptive
This company focuses on creating stylish denim jeans that use adaptive technology like Velcro or elastic waistbands. Several of their styles are even wheelchair-friendly!
MagnaReady
MagnaReady specializes in clothes that rely on magnetic closure devices.
RELATED: Ultimate List of Top Adaptive Clothing Brands and Retailers
Tips For Getting Dressed With Amputations
Getting dressed as an amputee may be a little stressful. However, with these tips, getting dressed will become one of your favorite things to do in the morning.
- Avoid clothes with too many buttons since they may be tough to button up. Additionally, if you must wear things with buttons, make sure they are easy to button with require little help.
- You can’t ever go wrong with zippers. Whether on your trousers or your tops, make sure you invest in a lot of clothes with zippers.
- As for shoes, avoid anything with laces since you may have a hard time tying them off.
- If you are a lower limb amputee, make sure you invest in the right type of shoes, especially if you are wearing prosthetics.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can You Make Your Own Adaptive Clothing For Amputees?
Yes, if you have a favorite outfit that you can’t let go of simply because you are an amputee, you can have it adjusted to make sure it fits your needs as an amputee.
Alternatively, you can always shop for affordable options in the market to avoid spending too much money on clothes.
2. How Can You Adapt Existing Clothing For Amputations?
You can do this by adding button extenders in your pants, so they are easy to close. Additionally, you should consider using devices that make it easier to close buttons on your shirts and tops without struggling to close them yourself.
Final Thoughts
Just because you are an amputee doesn’t mean that you can’t dress decently. You are not limited to wearing sweatpants for the rest of your life. Therefore, choose the right adaptive clothing for amputees to make your life easier.
Use these tips and more to find the right adaptive clothing for amputees for the best results.
