Wearing clothes or getting dressed, no matter the occasion, makes you look good and feel confident.
Your appearance also affects your aura, and this should not change because you use a wheelchair.
Try not to look dull, shabby, or wear uncomfortable clothes as it will make you feel and look dejected – the way you dress will affect how you feel.
Instead, always try to look your best no matter your disability and make an extra effort to purchase adaptive apparel as they are stress-free.
Table of Contents
- Adaptive Clothing
- What is a Wheelchair Pant?
- Reasons to Get a Wheelchair Pant
- Features of a Wheelchair Pant
- Benefits of Getting a Wheelchair Pant
- Types of Wheelchair Pants
- The Open Back Wheelchair Pant
- How to Put on an Elastic Waist Wheelchair Pant
- Some Handy General Tips
Adaptive Clothing
Over the years, clothiers, fashion houses, and designers have innovated ways to make life easier for the disabled. One of such ways is the conception of adaptive clothing.
Adaptive clothing makes getting dressed easier for people with a wide range of needs. Your requirements as a disabled are quite vast, so your clothing should make your life easier and even portray your personality.
In fact, many designers and companies are working and collaborating with people with disabilities to create better adaptive clothing.
The sole aim of adaptive clothing or apparel is to provide dressing ease for people with disabilities and their caregivers.
This apparel provides solutions to people with varieties and levels of disabilities. It also aids wheelchair users in dressing and undressing, especially if they have mobility problems with their hands. One of such apparel is wheelchair pants.
Related: How to Get a Disabled Person Upstairs Safely
What is a Wheelchair Pant?
A wheelchair pant can be categorized under adaptive clothing.
Wheelchair pants are specifically designed for people using a wheelchair. If you have a hard time dressing up or moving or spend long hours in one position, you will benefit greatly from these pants.
They are specially made to help you execute your daily activities with ease and give you a higher degree of independence. They will also provide you with comfort and prevent body sores.
Wheelchair pants can give you and others living with disabilities a fashionable and stylish look daily, greatly increasing your confidence.
Reasons to Get a Wheelchair Pant
- Your normal pedestrian clothes tend to be short in the back and short in the leg, and as such, this would partially expose either your back or your legs.
- Pocket spaces at the sides or back can cause you unpleasant bruises.
- There is usually no expandable waistband.
- The zip is often too short, and if you happen to have impairments with your hands, you could have problems closing the buttons.
Related: Can a Disabled Person Get a Gun Permit? (Answered)
Features of a Wheelchair Pant
- It has stretchable waistbands and a flattened seam.
- It is higher in the back than the front (so that your pants won’t fall) and has an extra leg cut that looks great;
- It has an easily openable hook closure under the tummy button and an extra-long zip which is just ideal.
- It has an adjustable closure and snaps on either men’s or women’s clothing.
- It can comprise of: a custom seat seam, smooth seat, elastic in the back for best fit, low front – so the material won’t bunch up.
- It has no yoke seams, no belt loop on the spine, and no back pockets.
- It is optimized for wheelchair users and designed not to pull tight on the couch.
Benefits of Getting a Wheelchair Pant
- It is comfortable and does not cause pressure points because there are no back or side pockets. This way, your chances of getting a pressure sore are greatly reduced.
- Wheelchair pants and clothing will help you prevent everyday problems with pedestrian clothes.
- It is easy to put on, with or without a caretaker, depending on your level of disability.
- Wheelchair pants will provide a compromise between comfort and style.
- It is specifically adapted to a seated posture, which is absolutely suited for you as a disabled.
- It is perfect for you, providing a 3-in-1 purpose: comfortable, functional, and fashionable.
Now, who says you cannot be fashionable because you are disabled?
Types of Wheelchair Pants
- Drop front wheelchair trousers
- Wheelchair jeans
- Elastic waist wheelchair trousers
- Zip front wheelchair trousers
- Open back wheelchair pants (the easiest)
The Open Back Wheelchair Pant
Open back pant is very intriguing and extremely aids you and your caregiver. The uniqueness of these pants is that you do not need to have your legs being moved around or worry about stressing your caregiver. You can get properly dressed in a seated position while remaining still.
In this instance, your caregiver will place your legs into the pants and draw them up to your waist. To wrap up your dressing, your caregiver will close the back with the overlapping layers by easily snapping them closed.
Some open-back pants come with different closures such as snapping, magnetic, or Velcro styles. It can even be a pair of jeans; I can see you almost smiling!
Related: List of Where to Sell Wheelchairs
How to Put on an Elastic Waist Wheelchair Pant
Lift the legs and insert the pants. Once you pull to the waist, gather the pant, so you have a lot to pull up with. Lean the disabled forward and brace them with your left arm – so they don’t trip. Then use your right hand to pull the rest of the pants you gathered earlier.
Some Handy General Tips
As a wheelchair occupant, whether temporary or permanent, you can decide to change your wardrobe – in fact; you should, if you have never considered it. You can:
- Find clothes that look good while seated
- Get clothes that have a longer neck to waist ratio
- Get skirts that are longer in the front than the back
- Look for longer-length trousers
- Try to acquire clothing with a loose fit around the hips and thighs
- Try your possible best to wear tops with a loose fit across shoulders and arms
- Endeavour to find seamless or flat seamed clothing
- Try as much as possible to avoid tight belts or fitted waistbands
- Also, have clothes tailored for a good fit
- Purchase breathable fabrics, slip-on/simple shoes, and easy-to-use snaps
Also, offering physical ease to you and other wheelchair users, clothing like stretchy fabrics enable you to dress and undress without difficulty.
