After surgery, most patients find it difficult to perform simple tasks like putting on pants, socks and shoes. If needed, there are aids which are available that can make dressing an easier and safer task to perform. Some things you should consider when dressing:
- Choose loose clothing if possible
- Sit on the side of the bed or on a firm chair
- Have your equipment near you (reacher, sock-aid, etc.)
Putting pants on with a reacher
Puttings socks on with a sock aid
Putting shoes on with a long handled shoe horn
Putting pants on with a reacher
- Clip the reacher to the waist band of the pants and lower pants to the floor
- Dress your operated leg first
- Pull your pants part way up using the reacher
- Place your good leg in next
Putting socks on with a sock aid
- Pull sock over the sock aid
- Using straps, lower sock aid to the floor
- Gently slide your foot into the sock aid
- Use the straps to pull on the sock
- Use reacher to remove sock
Putting shoes on with a long handled shoe horn
- When in standing, place the long handled shoe horn in your shoe
- Slide your foot into the shoe
You may find elastic shoes laces would be helpful when tying up your shoes.
