Dr. Stefano Sinicropi, M.D.

Back injuries can complicate actions that you once took for granted, like getting dressed in the morning. Because getting dressed usually involves some twisting, bending and turning, it can be a difficult process to complete if you’re dealing with a back injury. Today, we share three tips to help make the process of getting dressed with a back injury a little simpler.

Spine Pain While Getting Dressed

Here are three ways to simplify the dressing process if you’re dealing with a back injury or recovering after spine surgery.

1. Use The Bed – You can actually eliminate a lot of the bending that’s associated with getting dressed if you take the process to your bed. Lay on your back and pull up your pants, skirt or bottoms. You don’t have to worry about keeping your balance because gravity isn’t going to test you, and your legs and hips will be doing the movement, not your back. Underwear, pants and socks can all be easily applied while lying on your back and lifting your hips as you pull them up. Dress smarter, not harder when you have a back injury!
2. Elastic Is Your Friend – Another way to make the getting dressed process easier is to wear clothes that don’t require a lot of work to put on. This is especially true for pants, because they may be removed a couple times throughout the day if you need to use the bathroom. Instead of choosing jeans with buttons and a belt, opt for something with an elastic waistline. Depending on your work setting, consider talking to your boss and seeing if you can dress a little more casual while you recover from your back injury or surgery. Elastic waistbands and zippers are much easier to help take things on and off than buttons and belts. Comfortable clothes will usually be easier to get on and off, so pick your clothes wisely if you’re dealing with back pain.
3. Take Your Time – Finally, the changing process is going to take a little longer if you’re dealing with a back injury, so give yourself plenty of time in the morning. If you’re rushing to get dressed, you’re at an increased risk to aggravate your back or suffer a fall. Plan ahead and give yourself a few extra minutes so that the changing process doesn’t set you back. You’re going to lose a lot more time if you rush and suffer an injury, so plan ahead and take your time when getting dressed.

If you are finding it hard to get dressed because of undiagnosed back pain, do yourself a favor and contact Dr. Sinicropi’s office for a consultation. He’ll figure out what’s going on with your back and set you up with a treatment plan. For more information, contact his office today at (651) 430-3800.

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