Dressing Challenges & Mobility

Limited mobility can turn dressing into a daily challenge, whether due to aging, injury, surgery, or long-term conditions. This section includes informative articles that address a range of specific needs, such as seated dressing techniques, wheelchair-adapted clothing, and garments suited for those unable to stand. Topics include hip replacement clothing, dressing with a broken arm or leg, managing arm stiffness, and post-surgery recovery—like after rotator cuff procedures.

You’ll also find articles on specialized items like seated dressing pants, walker-friendly outfits, warm wheelchair clothing, ponchos, and adaptive styles for restricted range of motion. Each article provides context around these dressing challenges and showcases how Buck & Buck’s adaptive designs—such as open-back garments, side-zip pants, and easy-layering styles—help reduce strain, improve comfort, and support both independent dressers and caregivers in daily routines.

Seated Dressing

Why would someone have to be seated in order to dress him/herself? A variety of diminished physical abilities may require an individual to sit while dressing to maintain safety and independence in this daily task. Some of those diminished abilities may be due to stroke, paralysis from injury, Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, ALS, fracture, vertigo or a great variety of factors causing a minor or major disability. While seated dressing may sound a bit odd for someone who is able to stand and maintain balance without difficulty, for a person who cannot stand alone safely, seated dressing can assure some level of independence in carrying out a very personal task.

Buck and Buck carries a wide variety of side-zip, pullover, open-back and VELCRO® brand closure fashions for men and women to allow independent dressing and make assisted dressing easier for all involved. To help you select the correct garment, think about what skills the individual can perform in the dressing process. If stability is the only problem, any of our garments will be suitable as long as the person is encouraged to gather all of the clothes needed for dressing and place them on the bed next to him or her. If this procedure is done, the individual may sit while pulling on each item and avoid a potential fall.

A brief period of standing may be needed to pull up pants or tuck in a shirt or blouse, but the bed is right there if he/she needs to sit quickly. If the individual needs the assistance of another to dress, our side-zip or open back clothing may be the best answer.

Seated Dressing Pants

A variety of temporary or permanent disabilities may necessitate the need for seated dressing. We carry a full line of clothing suited to dressing while seated. We feature seated dressing pants, shirts, sweatsuits, dresses, nightwear and outerwear for women and for men.

Our seated dressing pants have bilateral, 22 inch long zippers that make pulling the pants on easy for the wearer and helpful to the caregiver. The bilateral long zippers also permit ease in self toileting and personal care. Any of our slacks may be converted to side zip so just ask us to make the alteration for you.

Another option is our side snap pants for men and women that feature bilateral snaps that permit the pants to open easily for dressing while seated and for toileting.

We also feature our back flap pants for men and women confined to a wheelchair. A generous amount of material overlaps in the back and snaps at the waist. The material provides coverage when the person stands yet allows ease in toileting and personal care.

Hip Replacement Clothes

The need for adaptive clothing while recovering from hip replacement surgery is usually temporary, lasting just a few weeks. However, having clothing that works for you during this period—especially during physical therapy and medical visits—can make a big difference in comfort, mobility, and accessibility.

Side-zip and adaptive pants for hip replacement recovery

Our side-zip pants for men and women feature 22-inch long bilateral zippers, allowing for easy dressing without pulling or tugging. These zippers provide quick access to the surgical site, making them ideal for both seated dressing and medical examinations.

Buck & Buck carries side-closure pants in all styles, from dress slacks to sweatpants, so you can choose the look and comfort level that works best for you. Since these pants are stylish and functional, they don’t need to be put away once you've recovered—they remain a great wardrobe staple.

Custom sizing and special adaptations

If you don’t see your size available, or if you need a plus-size option due to a full figure, just ask us! Buck & Buck will design clothing to meet your special needs whenever possible.

Footwear and socks for hip replacement recovery

In addition to adaptive clothing, it’s important to choose the right footwear and socks while recovering from hip replacement surgery.

  • Shoes should be wide enough to adjust for any swelling in the feet.
  • Non-skid soles are essential to prevent slips and falls during recovery.

If you have specific needs while recovering from hip replacement surgery, let us know! Our team can help you find the right adaptive clothing, ensuring that you look good, feel comfortable, and have easy access to your surgical site throughout your recovery.

Dressing with a Broken Arm

Getting dressed with a broken arm that has been casted can present some issues. Short sleeved shirts or blouses are the easiest especially if the sleeve is generous to allow for the bulk of the cast to pass through.

Consider t-shirts for women and men which are usually made of a more stretchy fabric. Remember to put the casted arm into the sleeve first. This will help you to get the garment on with less of a struggle.

Pull on pants are much easier than those with zippers and buttons, but our Velcro® closure pants are also a good choice. Slip on shoes or those with hook and loop closures versus laces are most helpful.

If you need help in making a clothing choice or need an alteration in any of our clothes, let us know.

Wheelchair Users Clothing

Does Buck & Buck carry wheelchair clothing? Buck & Buck carries a wide range of adaptive clothing designed specifically for individuals who use wheelchairs. Clothing for wheelchair users needs to be comfortable, easy to put on, non-restrictive, and practical for daily needs, including toileting and personal care.

Choosing the right wheelchair clothing

First, identify the specific limitations of the individual using the wheelchair to select the most beneficial garments. Consider:

  • Is the wheelchair use temporary? (e.g., due to an injury like a broken leg): If so, we can adapt any of our pants or sweatsuits to accommodate a cast or other dressing challenges.
  • Can the individual stand without assistance? If so, any of our everyday clothing will work well.
  • Does the individual require full assistance with dressing and transfers? If so, open-back garments are the best option for both the wearer and the caregiver.
Pants and adaptive bottoms for wheelchair users

We offer several pant styles to meet different mobility needs:

  • Side-Zip Pants – Feature 22-inch-long bilateral zippers that allow the pants to open fully for self and assisted dressing. These also make toilet transfers easier, preserving dignity for individuals confined to a wheelchair.
  • Side-Snap & Velcro Pants – Work in a similar way, allowing pants to be easily removed for toileting or personal care.
  • Open-Back Pants – Ideal for individuals who cannot perform self-transfers, as they make dressing and undressing easier for caregivers.
Dresses and outerwear for women in wheelchairs

Our dresses for women in wheelchairs have extra length to cover the knees while seated, ensuring both comfort and modesty. For outerwear, Buck & Buck offers fleece and rainproof ponchos designed specifically for wheelchair users, providing warmth and protection from the elements without the bulk of traditional coats.

Additional wheelchair clothing and accessories

In addition to everyday clothing, we offer:

  1. Shower Robes – Protect individuals from drafts when being wheeled to the shower.
  2. Wheelchair Accessories – Including day packs, pouches, cup holders, fleece armrests, and urinary drainage bag covers.

By choosing clothing tailored to the needs of wheelchair users, you can ensure comfort, dignity, and ease of care. Take a look at our catalog for more options.

Wheelchair Pants

Our wheelchair pants make dressing less of an effort for someone confined to a wheelchair or recliner. A unique feature in our wheelchair pants is the long (22 inch) bilateral side zippers. The length of the zippers and the fact that they are bilateral allow the wearer to comfortably unzip the pants for easier dressing and for toilet transfers. We have many choices of wheelchair pants from dressier slacks to sweats. Any of the pants you see in our collection for women and for men may be adapted to side zip, so just let us know your need or preference.

Another style of wheelchair pants is our back flap pants for women and for men. This style has a generous flap of material that covers the seat and snaps at the waist allowing the caregiver to dress the individual while the person is sitting in the wheelchair or recliner. The flap of material completely covers the buttocks if the individual is standing insuring his or her modesty.

The third style of pants for the man or woman who uses a wheelchair is our side closure pants. Snaps or velcro on both sides allow the pants to drop easily for toileting and dressing purposes.

Please take a look through our catalog for other dressing solutions.

Warm Wheelchair Clothes

Sitting in a wheelchair all day can bring on chills if the person is not very active and moving about. We carry a great selection of warm clothing for wheelchair users. Some examples of our warm clothing line consist of sweat tops, pants and sets for women and for men. We also have sweaters and vests for men and women, fleece shawls for the ladies, and lap robes for men and women.

If the individual using a wheelchair needs assisted dressing, we can put bilateral, 22 inch long side zippers in any of the pants we sell. This style allows the person to dress independently if they are able and if they need a caregiver to assist in dressing, our design makes that process easy as well. Pair our side zip pants with any of our rear closure tops for the person needing dressing assistance, or our wide selection of pullover or button front tops for the independent dresser.

See our full catalog for other clothing options.

Wheelchair Poncho

Use of a wheelchair to get around shouldn't stop you from outdoor adventures in most weather conditions. We carry rainproof ponchos and fleece ponchos all year long for both women and men.

The wheelchair poncho has a shortened back to prevent bunching while seated, yet has an extended front length to provide adequate torso and leg coverage. Our rainproof wheelchair poncho is lined with fleece for extra coziness and has a cellphone pocket for added convenience.

We have a fleece poncho made of Polar Fleece® that is light weight yet very warm. A great choice when going out in the cooler weather. We also have a light weight sweat fleece poncho for both men and women that is cut shorter than the other ponchos but is perfect to take the edge off a chilly day.

Take a look through our catalog for other dressing solutions.

Senior Wheelchair Fashions

Buck and Buck features a wide variety of fashions for seniors who use a wheelchair. In order to select the correct type of wheelchair fashion you should first identify what the specific limitations are of the senior using the wheelchair. For example, consider whether the senior is able to stand without assistance or does he or she have paralysis or weakness in the legs that prevents standing to get dressed. If the senior is confined to a wheelchair, is she/he able to transfer alone from wheelchair to toilet. Sometimes the elderly in nursing home settings will use a wheelchair to move around more quickly, but they are able to stand alone and walk short distances. If this is the situation, any of our everyday clothes will be useful. By knowing why the person uses a wheelchair, you can be more specific in choosing the clothing that is right for the individual.

If the senior in the wheelchair can do transfers independently or with little assistance, our side zip pants are a big help. The zippers are bilateral and 22 inches long that makes toilet transfers very manageable.

If the senior cannot perform self transfers and cannot dress him or herself at all, the best wheelchair clothing items are the open back garments that are easy for the caregiver to use and comfortable for the wearer. Our open back wheelchair clothing items are very popular because they are made of quality fabric, generously cut to cover the knees for the women and the snaps are positioned strategically to avoid pressure points on the spine.

Using a wheelchair doesn't mean the senior cannot enjoy the great outdoors! They just need the appropriate garment to stay covered from the elements. We feature the very popular wheelchair poncho and rain poncho for women and men and the lovely swing coat for the ladies.

Buck and Buck also a features number of accessories that will be helpful to your fashionable senior in the wheelchair. We carry day packs, wheelchair pouches, cup holders, fleece armrests and urinary drainage bag covers for those in need so please take a look in our wheelchair accessories section of the catalog.

Dressing after Rotator Cuff Surgery

After surgery for repair of a rotator cuff you will be wearing an arm sling. Because of your limited range of motion for awhile there are specific items of clothing that will help you to dress with little or no assistance.

For women our front closure bras will be of help. For both men and women our Velcro® front closure shirts and blouses will be easy to put on. Place the operative arm into the garment first and then the unaffected arm and then close the front of the garment with simple pressure over the buttons that hide the Velcro® tabs. You may usually remove the sling to dress, but maintain a degree of immobility (always check with your physician and physical therapist first).

Another clothing item that will be helpful in dressing with an arm sling is our Velcro® fly closure pant. We have a wide variety of pants for men and women, any of our slacks may be adapted with a front closure.

Take a look in our catalog and let us know if you have another dressing need. Remember, most of our clothing can be adapted to meet your needs.

Independent Dressers

Does Buck and Buck carry clothes that encourage independent dressing? Buck and Buck does carry a wide range of independent dressing clothes. One of our major goals is to provide our elderly customers with clothing that they can be comfortable in and that encourages independence in the process of dressing. Some of the major designs that make us well known for our independent dressing clothes are the uses of VELCRO® brand closures on women’s and men’s shirts, front zipper pulls and tabs, snaps that are easy to use, generous and comfortable elastic waist bands and many styles that can be pulled on over the head.

Independent dressing clothes take into consideration the potential disabilities of the wearer and that is why our designs are made to accommodate a variety of disabilities such as the elderly with arthritis, stroke residual, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, neuropathies and just plain aging. We all want to be independent in dressing ourselves for as long as possible which is why we have made independent dressing clothes our priority. VELCRO® fly closures and VELCRO® front shirt closures have made independent dressing possible for many seniors.

Take a look at our men’s and women’s clothing and you are sure to find styles that suit your needs. If there is a special need that you have, talk with us and we'll create something to help you.

Clothing for Seniors with Arm Stiffness

Stiffness in the arm may be a temporary or permanent problem that will cause difficulty in dressing. Our adaptive clothing designs for men and women have many options to suit the dressing needs of those adults with arm stiffness. Inability to raise the arms, reach to pull on clothes or button garments can be frustrating. Look at our clothing solutions and find the perfect garment for your mom or dad.

Senior Walker Fashions

Seniors who need the use of a walker for stability will benefit from some of our clothing fashions. We have specific clothing designs for the adult who has problems standing and walking with the needed assistance of a walker or other devices.

Take a look at our easy pull on elastic waistband pants for women and men. No zippers or buttons to struggle with while trying to maintain balance.

In our adaptive clothing selections we also feature VELCRO® brand closures to replace the zipper fly on our men’s pants. This clothing adjustment makes it quicker and easier for the gentleman who cannot work a zipper. Independence in dressing and toileting is very important to everyone’s dignity.

All of our traditional dresses can be easily pulled on over the head while the woman is seated on her bed with the walker or other assistive device kept near by. She can safely dress independently by following simple strategies like: collecting garments together and putting them in our walker bags and draping larger items over the walker; placing all garments on the bed next to her so that she can access each item without reaching; keeping the walker in front of her as she is seated on the bed to provide security when she needs to stand. These steps should also be followed by the gentleman who uses a walker or other assistive device for ambulation.

Range of Motion Clothing

What does Buck and Buck carry in range of motion clothing? Our range of motion clothing line consists of our adaptive clothing garments and many items in our regular, everyday wear collection. Our clothing styles are designed with the needs of the senior customer in mind and because of that, range of motion is always a consideration. As we age, an individual’s mobility status often becomes restricted. It may be difficult to reach above the head or around the back, close buttons and tie shoes. Our goal is to make our customer as independent as possible in the dressing process so we look at garment cut and material, size of buttons, use of long zippers, VELCRO® brand closures, wide and generous elastic, and more.

We also will make special alterations whenever needed like grab loops in pants and skirts, put loops or pulls on zippers and add hook and loop closures on any clothing item to make dressing an even easier process than our garments already allow.

If the individual needs assistance with dressing from a caregiver, our open back designs for men and women may be just what is needed. These items allow dressing to occur without the need of raising the arms. Our open back clothing have snap closures down the length of the garments making assisted dressing less difficult for the caregiver and more comfortable for the wearer.

Additional information for Limited Range of Motion:

Individuals with limited range of motion may have some difficulty in self-dressing. The limitations may be due to injury, medical problems, or simply aging. Whatever the problem, you are certain to find clothing items for the individual with limited range of motion issues. Please browse through our online catalog, especially at the adaptive clothing sections for women and men, and give us a call if you need assistance.

Unable to Stand Clothes

Clothing for individuals that are unable to stand can pose a problem for that person and for the caregiver. However, if you select the correct clothing the process of dressing becomes much more doable. Look for these features in clothing that will be helpful to the person unable to stand.

The items must be comfortable, easy to put on, non-restrictive and look good. Clothing also has to be "user friendly" in that toileting and other needs for personal care should not be cumbersome to carry out.

At Buck and Buck we have designed clothing to meet these needs at a reasonable cost to you. Take a look at our slacks with the 22 inch long, bilateral zippers. We can put these zippers on any of our pants. The benefit to the person unable to stand independently is that the pants open very easily for self and assisted dressing. The generous, bilateral zippers also allow for easy, self toileting transfers which provide a sense of dignity to the individual who is confined to a wheelchair. Our bi-lateral side snap pants also provide great ease in personal care and toileting.

Our dresses have extra length to adequately cover the knees while seated for those who are using wheelchairs. Many individuals who cannot stand will be using wheelchairs so you should also consider our women’s and men’s coats and ponchos for their outdoor comfort.

Look through our catalog for many other helpful dressing designs.

Broken Leg Clothes

What type of clothing does Buck and Buck carry for individuals who have a broken leg? Buck and Buck will design clothing to meet your special needs if at all possible. For those who have broken a leg we will insert knee to ankle zippers on pants to accommodate casts and braces. We will also adjust the leg length on our side-snap pants to accommodate longer casts and braces. You may be using a wheelchair during your recovery period so you should look at our wheelchair clothes and accessories collection to find some helpful garments and gadgets.

Let us know what your special needs are so that we can help you to look good and feel more comfortable during your recovery period.

Restricted Mobility Clothing
Overview

Buck and Buck specializes in clothing for people with restricted mobility. We have been designing and manufacturing adaptive clothing for over 40 years. Our customers are wheelchair users, walker users, people who have limited range of motion for a variety of reasons. Many of our customers have had strokes, suffer from severe arthritis, have had a TBI (traumatic brain injury), amputations or just cannot manage dressing easily anymore due to aging, dementias, etc.

Take a look at our range of wheelchair clothing and our articles on our website that address clothing suggestions for different restricted mobility issues. If you have had problems finding comfortable, attractive clothing for yourself or your loved one with restricted mobility, you have come to the right place.

About the designs

Individuals with restricted mobility may have some difficulty in self dressing. To provide as much independence as possible, Buck and Buck has designed clothing styles for adults experiencing restricted mobility. Mobility restriction may be due to injury, medical problems or simply aging.

Our designs consist of VELCRO® brand closures, generous elastic waistbands, side-zip pants, open back garments, easy over the head styles, slip on shoes and slippers for women and men, to name a few.

Whatever the problem, you are certain to find clothing items for the man or woman with restricted mobility. Please take a look at our on-line catalog and give us a call if you need assistance.

Still have questions? Don't hesitate to contact us!

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