Clothing for ACL Surgery and Post Op
One of my happiest moments post surgery was about 10 days post op when I was able to sort of bend my leg just enough to put on my sock more easily than stretching all the way down to do it on a fully straightened and braced leg. Recovering from ACL surgery comes with its fair share of challenges. And just getting dressed can unexpectedly become one of them. Limited mobility, post-operative pain, and bulky braces make routine tasks frustrating. Fortunately, with a few wardrobe adjustments and the right tools, you can dress more comfortably and safely during your recovery.
Prioritize Adaptive Clothing
Adaptive clothing is designed specifically for people with limited mobility or temporary physical challenges. Post-surgery, the goal is to avoid clothes that require a lot of twisting, bending, or balancing.
- Wide-Leg Pants and Shorts with Tear-away sides: Look for loose-fitting garments that can easily go over your brace. Tear-away or Velcro-side pants are especially useful. Loose fitting underwear is helpful. Things like basketball short styles work well. Life here will be harder if you’re dealing with these issues in colder weather. But even then, there are warm up pants that have either velcro or buttons up the sides. Usually, the sides of such garments can be detached, but the crotch area will be just as with any typical garment. So it might be easiest to leave the ‘good leg’ side buttoned up and pull that on first. Then lie/roll or whatever you need to do to get the other side positioned properly. Then use whatever attachment there is; buttons, velcro, zippers, to get the rest on.
- Elastic Waistbands: Ditch buttons and zippers for elastic waists that are easy to pull up and down with one hand. Remember that being able to pull down pants / shorts one-handed may come in handy when going to the bathroom.
- Open-Front Tops: Button-down or zip-up shirts may be easier to put on than pullovers, especially if you’re dealing with crutches. Mostly though, your tops shouldn’t be as much of a problem unless you also have associated upper body or limb injuries.
- Dressing Gowns or Robes: These are ideal for lounging without dealing with waistbands or leg openings. They might not be the best for going out and about town, but then again, do what you have to do!
Choose Footwear That Works for You
- Slip-On Shoes or Slippers: Avoid shoes that require bending over or balancing on one foot. Slip-ons with non-skid soles are best for avoiding falls. There are increasing options out there. Well known brand Skechers has been pushing slip-ons a lot lately. But there are also some newer high quality brands as well, like Kizik and Zeba. The benefits here should be obvious. Even in crutches, you can slip your foot into a sneaker with minimum weight bearing. These types of sneakers might be worthwhile even after it’s easier to pull on and lace up regular sneakers for those times you may be exceptionally sore after physical therapy.
- Adjustable Footwear: Look for Velcro straps or wide openings to accommodate swelling or braces.
- Avoid Flip-Flops: These may seem convenient but lack the stability and support needed during early recovery.
Use Assistive Dressing Tools
Reaching your feet or pulling pants up one-legged can be nearly impossible post-op. These tools make a big difference:
- Dressing Sticks: Useful for pulling pants, skirts, or shirts on or off with limited reach or mobility.
- Long-Handled Shoe Horns: Helps slide your foot into shoes without bending.
- Sock Aids: A fabric cradle lets you put on socks with a single motion and minimal bending. The videos showing these things working seem a lot easier than how they actually work. It may be worth getting some ‘adaptive’ socks that have pull up loops on the sides.
- Reacher/Grabbers: Allows you to pick up clothes or shoes from the floor or retrieve items from hard-to-reach places.
Prepare Before Surgery
Before surgery, lay out or purchase easy-access clothing and tools so you’re not scrambling when you’re in pain. Consider setting up a dressing station with everything in one place. (Ideally at waist height to minimize movement.)
Additional Tips
- Layer Strategically: If you’re using cold therapy, brace adjustments, or need wound access, dress in layers or clothes that are easy to remove. Also, even if it’s warm in your room, your ice machine on your leg may make the rest of you cool. Maybe make sure a sweatshirt or something is handy before you lie down for an ice treatment.
- Laundry Planning: You’ll want multiple sets of comfortable clothing since you may change often due to sweat, ointments, or spills. Hopefully you’ll have some help with doing your laundry. If not, you may want to consider spending the money to have laundry sent out if you live in an area large enough to have such services.
- Weather Matters: Lightweight clothes in summer and fleece-lined loose pants in winter help manage comfort across seasons without interfering with mobility.
Dressing well during ACL recovery isn’t about fashion. It’s about comfort, independence, and safety. A few smart wardrobe adjustments can make a big impact on your day-to-day recovery experience. It’s absolutely lousy to be in significant pain just to get dressed.