The journey to normal life after losing a limb can be challenging. Learning to do daily self-care tasks with one hand is frustrating. Buttoning a shirt or zipping a jacket becomes a difficult task.
Understanding Self-Dressing Challenges
One of the main difficulties for upper limb amputees is managing clothing fasteners. Buttons, zippers, snaps, and hooks are hard to manipulate with one hand. Limited motion and lack of finger control make aligning and securing closures nearly impossible.
Getting dressed and undressed is also a struggle. Navigating sleeves and other complex garment features requires coordination. Putting on jackets or hoodies is challenging. Pulling on socks and shoes requires balance. Without both hands, guiding clothing into the proper position becomes a prolonged process.
Vulcan Prosthetics: Transforming Dressing
The Vulcan hand offers enhanced flexibility, invaluable for navigating sleeves and layered clothing. The wrist of the Vulcan hand detaches easily, allowing you to put on long sleeve shirts and reattach the hand later. This prevents getting stuck in shirts or damaging fabrics.
The Vulcan hand’s grips mimic the flexibility of the human hand. You can grasp, manipulate, and control various clothing fasteners and closures with precision. This includes shirt buttons, belts, ties, and zippers. You can confidently adjust garments, boosting self-confidence and autonomy.
Tips for Dressing with the Vulcan Prosthetic Arm
To maximize the benefits of the Vulcan Prosthetic Arm when dressing, consider the following practical tips:
- Clothing Selection and Adaptation: Choose garments with easy-to-use features, such as large buttons, loops, or Velcro closures.
- Techniques for Dressing Success: Experiment with different techniques to find what works best. Adjust the hand position, wrist angle, or grip strength using the Vulcan app. Developing muscle memory and a dressing routine improves efficiency and confidence.
- Logic Change for Dressing Activities: For complex dressing tasks, consider changing the logic (contracting muscles to open the hand and relaxing muscles to close it) on the Vulcan app. This helps maintain a steady pace.
Don’t be disheartened if you struggle initially. Keep practicing, and you will improve over time. Spend 15-20 minutes daily using the Vulcan hand to wear different clothes. This practice will enhance your performance.
Do not forget that you can register for a free experience day with Vulcan from now on, simply click the link below and fill in the form.
