Experience with adaptive clothing?

[AZmujer]

My husband is a former football player who had a husky build. It is a struggle to get him dressed. Any advice about buying adaptive clothing?

 

[Atsugi]

I searched for "adaptive clothing" and liked the fasten-in-back shirts I saw at buckandbuck dot com.

Also see independentYOU dot com.

 

[davbo49]

im a big guy myself and i can't dress with out help. jane has to do that for me. she been putting pullover shirts on me and shes getting good at it. with my upper joints trying to pull out when i move my arms the wrong way makes it even harder. i don't dress like i did in the past. it a new look for me. but iiwii

 

[affected]

It is REALLY important to treat those shoulder joints with great care.

The muscles are wasting and probably there is spasticity too.

You must never:
- help a PALS stand by pulling on their arms in any way
- force any joint to move further than a comfortable ROM no matter how much you wish it to

Tendons can be torn and ruptured extremely easily.

This is where adaptive clothing is so great as you can get it on and off without risking tendon damage to joints that already have many issues. There are great mixes of clothes that simply velcro at the back or have a simple tie up. They can be made to look more normal sometimes than regular clothes that you have trouble getting on or adjusting later in a pwc.

 

[andycap]

Thanks everyone I was wondering how I was going to dress and undress him if
it gets to that,I am so thankful for this forum.

 

[gooseberry]

My husband is having trouble with his left shoulder and right hand. We have gone to button or zip up shirts. My son or I can get them on the left arm first then the right. My husband struggles to get any shirt on by himself regardless of type.

 

[affected]

When dressing someone the rule always is:

Dressing - bad arm/leg then good arm/leg.
Undressing - good arm/leg then bad arm/leg.

That's really important both to make it easier, but to reduce chances of injury or pain.

When both arms were bad, I had T Shirts or Polo Shirts big enough I could wriggle it up both arms then stretch out and over his head. Then he agreed to move to button up shirts only. I would need him standing and would wriggle it onto both wrists, then wriggle the sleeves up both arms together from behind.

 

[SMP51]

scissors are my friend.
the backs of all his pants are cut open, the fronts are just an illusion

 

[poppies]

We use soft T-shirts that are not too tight. I put my husband's hands through the arm holes one at a time them move the t-shirt up his arms as far as it will go, then pull it over his head. When he wears button up shirts I do one arm at a time. Tillie, I am interested in your warning about injury. I thought it was important to keep stretching my husband's arms to keep the shoulders as flexible as possible. He doesn't like it so we have not done it for a while which has been worrying me. What are your thoughts?

 

[HeatherFeather]

I checked the links that Mike provided (thanks Mike/Atsugi!), and others - the back flap pants are a great idea and was wondering if anyone had any experience with them as DH is having a very hard time standing now and soon he won't be able to. What about undershorts - I don't see ANY special adaptive shorts or do they go 'commando'?:roll:

 

[davbo49]

everyone knows me on here by now already knows i lost my a.. over this dame als. at this point it don't mater what shorts you have it's trying to keep them pulled up is the deal. this where jane comes in......... you got to be fast.

to get them on and off i would have to be laying down on my back. jane will have are boys to help me get back up.

 

[Diane H]

What about undershorts - I don't see ANY special adaptive shorts or do they go 'commando'?:roll:

Definitely commando! I put a hand towel on the wheelchair cushion to keep my bare behind off the seat. Easy to toss in the wash. If you want to convert his existing pants to flap backs there are instructions here:
Adaptive Clothing for Wheelchair Users

 

[affected]

commando is the only way to go

 

[HeatherFeather]

WOW - Diane - that is absolutely AWESOME! Your instructions are soooo easy to follow - thanks so much! MMMWWAAHHH!

 

[HeatherFeather]

@ Tillie: :lol: