Designs Styled For Users Of Wheelchairs
Imagine not being able to find clothing that fits.
Sure, everyone has trouble finding things from time to time, but what if you couldn’t find anything that was designed for your body?
For thousands of people who use wheelchairs, finding clothing that is both stylish and comfortable is a constant problem. But slowly, manufacturers are addressing this special situation.
A few companies have seen the need and are beginning to produce apparel for people in wheelchairs. Their styles are user-friendly - and fashionable.
Pants are cut fuller in the seat and lower at the front to accommodate a constant sitting position. This prevents the shirt or underwear from pulling out, and also serves to keep the kidney area warmer.
Seams are sewn with more allowance so they can be pressed flat for a smoother, less bulky finish designed to reduce pressure sores, especially at the base of the spine. Rivets and back pockets have been eliminated for the same reason.
Extra-long zippers running from the waistband to the crotch seam make independent dressing easier. Zipper pull-tabs are designed with a hole to allow a piece of string or a ring to be attached for easier use by those with limited dexterity.
Pants are cut with very long inseams (41 inches for men and 37 inches for women) so pant legs don’t hike up in the sitting position. Pant legs usually come in two widths as well. Wide-fitting legs accommodate catheters while narrow-width pants are designed for people with slim legs.
Wheelchair users typically have a difficult time wearing jackets. Special alterations include shorter lapels so they don’t wrinkle, slightly shorter sleeves to allow freedom to push the chair, leather insets at the wrist to reduce wear, and an additional dart sewn at the elbows to accommodate the constant bending of the arms.
Jackets are cut much shorter, making them more suitable for a sitting position.
Some manufacturers are also including lounge wear in their product lines.
Bathrobes are designed to reach the ankles in front but just extend to the seat in the back. This allows the robe to be put on without having to stand up. It also eliminates fabric that could get caught in the wheels or tangled around the legs. Safety loops are added to the hem so the robe can be secured to the chair rather than flap in the breeze.
Bodysuits for women can be a beautiful, feminine clothing item, but if you use a wheelchair, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to snap and unsnap the closure at the crotch. Replacing the traditional closing with a Velcro strip on the front, just below the hip line, makes it much easier for those with restricted mobility to wear bodysuits.
Because there is a limited demand for such special apparel, prices tend to be higher than for similar clothing for the mainstream market. But as more manufacturers see the needs of this specialty group, prices should become more reasonable and the selection should increase.
For more information on clothing designed for people in wheelchairs or who have other disabilities, contact Rolli Moden at (800) 707-2395; Ultimate Style Apparel, (800) 935-5170; Creative Designs, (800) 335-4852; or Easy Living (800) 665-1976. Shanna Southern Peterson is a Spokane writer and home economist.
MEMO: The Clothesline appears weekly. Ideas for the column may be sent to her c/o The Spokesman-Review Features Department, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210, or e-mail shanptr@aol.com.