5 Simple Tips for Pulling Your Pants up in a Wheelchair

Getting dressed for the day is one of the first obstacles you will face each morning when your life is spent in a wheelchair. This is no easy feat, and pulling your pants up can be especially challenging. Unfortunately, pulling up your pants isn’t a once-a-day task, as you will need to do so each time you visit the restroom. This can lead to an incredible amount of frustration throughout your day. Whether your disability is new or you are simply looking for new ideas, below you will find five tips for pulling up your pants for those in a wheelchair.

1. Dress in your Bed…

Some find that getting dressed in bed is the easiest way to go about pulling up their pants. Of course, this option is only a solution if you are at home, so if you are out in public and need to use the restroom this simply wont work. However, when it is feasible, lying on your back in your bed and pulling your pants up from this position is often the most convenient way to complete the process.

2. Or Dress in Your Chair

If the issue of pulling your pants up arises throughout the day as you need to use the restroom, many find that doing so in your wheelchair rather than on the toilet is the best approach. The arms on your chair can provide more leverage than when on the toilet, and you may also feel a bit better going through the process in a more sanitary place than a toilet seat.

3. Skip the Underwear

One thing that is recommended by many wheelchair users is to skip wearing underwear. While you may be hesitant, this can significantly cut down on the time it takes to redress, and may also make you more comfortable. It can be quite a challenge to pull your underwear up, let alone get it in the correct place, so many find that skipping it altogether is one thing they can do to make the process of pulling up their pants a bit more manageable.

4. Wear Specially Designed Clothing

There are several companies out there that design clothing specifically with wheelchair users in mind. Many of these items are designed to be easy to pull on, with elastic waists and sturdy materials. There are also several companies creating clothing for wheelchair users that not only consider comfort and function, but fashion as well. 

5. Use an Aid

When it comes down to it, the easiest way to pull your pants up is to use an aid. Pants Up Easy is a new product that simplifies the process into three steps. With units designed specifically to be used in the restroom, or a freestanding unit that can be placed anywhere in your home, the Pants Up Easy products take the process of pulling your pants up from a major headache to something that can be done easily on your own.