Giving Care: Senior & Disabled Caregiver Resource Blog

Essential Clothing to Wear After Pacemaker Surgery

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Undergoing pacemaker surgery is a significant medical procedure that requires special attention during the recovery period, particularly when it comes to clothing choices. Adaptive clothing plays a crucial role in ensuring comfort and ease for patients as they heal. 

By incorporating features such as front-opening designs and soft, wireless support, these garments help minimize discomfort and make dressing a stress-free experience for those recovering from pacemaker implantation surgery.

How Adaptive Clothes Make a Difference in Recovery

Adaptive clothing is designed to offer people an easier experience when getting dressed. When mobility is limited, such as after a pacemaker implantation surgery, getting dressed can be challenging. 

Clothing that is created with adaptive features offers pain-free dressing solutions, especially after an operation like biventricular pacemaker insertion. 

Adaptive features on clothing allow a patient with decreased mobility to remain more stationary when dressing. With pacemaker patients, this means they can avoid aggravating the incision site. 

Healthcare providers recommend against tight fitting clothing that can rub the incision area. Tight clothes can also be more challenging to put on, which can result in further discomfort to the recovering patient. 

Whether a loved one is dressing themselves or receiving help from a caregiver, adaptive clothing can help ease the recovery period. 

Key Clothing Pieces for Pacemaker Surgery Recovery

Front-Opening Shirts and Blouses

After pacemaker surgery, the incision site is often sore and tender. During the recovery period, front-opening shirts and blouses are great options for staying comfortable. 

These adaptive products are designed to minimize effort in dressing. A person can easily slide the shirt over their arms and avoid pulling something over their head. If the pacemaker incision becomes irritated, the shirt can be easily opened to provide added comfort. 

Recovery wear clothing offers ease of dressing and peace of mind as you or your loved one won’t have to worry about further irritating the pacemaker site. 


H3: Soft, Wireless Support Bras

When recovering from biventricular pacemaker surgery or any type of surgery, wearing undergarments can be uncomfortable or even challenging to put on. Soft, wireless adaptive bras allow the patient to continue wearing bras and camisoles with added discomfort. Just because you are recovering from surgery doesn’t mean you can’t get dressed like you normally would. 

The front closures on Silverts bras help stop your loved one from twisting or stretching too much during dressing when in the recovery period. The wireless design provides additional comfort and ensures nothing is digging into the pacemaker incision as it heals. 

Loose-Fitting Tops and Cardigans

Loosely fitting shirts are highly recommended when looking for clothes to wear after pacemaker surgery. The surgery site is usually sensitive in the days after the procedure and tightly fitting clothing is not advised. 
Loose-fitting tops and cardigans allow the incision to heal with minimal irritation that can otherwise be caused by clothing rubbing on the skin or pulling on the stitches.  

Comfort and Convenience: Adaptive Wear Essentials

Adaptive Shirts and Tops for Easy Access

Wearing adaptive clothing when recovering from surgery can aid in the recovery process. Adaptive shirts create an easier dressing experience for the patient as less movement is required to put on the shirt. Features such as zippers and snaps allow these adaptive shirts and easy access tops to open widely and allow the patient to slide their arms into the garment. Once the shirt is on, your loved one can do up the front or side closures, or have a caregiver assist with open-back designed shirts. 

These easy access tops are also great for follow-up visits with your healthcare team as they allow your doctor or nurse practitioner to easily access the pacemaker site without needing to remove clothing.  

Side-Opening Pants for Comfort and Accessibility

After surgery, you or your loved one will likely be somewhat uncomfortable and tired. Rest and relaxation are imperative for a speedy recovery. 

To avoid any strenuous activity and reduce the amount of energy needed when getting dressed, look for side-opening pants as well as other styles that offer comfort and easy accessibility. Silverts side-zip pants are also designed with catheter access, which is great if there is a hospital stay following surgery. The VELCRO closure from the Knee down makes it easy to leave the pant leg open at the bottom in case a medical professional needs access while still in hospital. 

How Do You Put a Shirt on After Pacemaker Surgery?

Tips for Getting Dressed Without Compromising the Pacemaker Site

When recovering from pacemaker surgery, it is normal to have tenderness and swelling around the incision. You want to avoid irritating the area as much as possible, which can make getting dressed even more difficult. 

Shirts that are put on over the head can cause discomfort when pulling the fabric down. For this reason, shirts that can open widely such as with snaps on the sleeves like with this tearaway post-surgery top or post-surgery recovery top with snaps down the front, allow the patient to slip their arms into the sleeves without pulling anything over the head. 
These style shirts can also be left slightly undone to offer even more space around the incision site.

Dressing for Different Stages of Recovery

Immediate Post-Surgery Clothing Choices

Right after pacemaker surgery, it is recommended to wear clothing that is loose fitting and easy to dress in. While having a pacemaker inserted is not considered major surgery, the incision site will remain sore for a few days to weeks. The stitches may also increase sensitivity to the area if they are disturbed by clothing. 

For this reason, adaptive tops that are loose fitting and easy to dress in, such as open back tops or open front shirts are also the best clothes to wear after a back surgery. Silverts has a line of recovery wear as well as post-surgical clothing designed for these purposes. 

These adaptive clothing styles make it easier for your loved one to dress themselves or have help from a caregiver. 

Transitioning to Regular Apparel with Adaptive Features

In the days and weeks after the heart procedure, swelling and discomfort will start to subside. Although the patient may still be in recovery, they can transition to more conventional adaptive styles, such as adaptive blouses, shirts and cardigans. 

Recovery from pacemaker surgery is in an individual experience. Silverts has clothing with various adaptive features and styles to meet the needs of each individual shopper. 

To learn more, visit www.Silverts.com

Michelle Singerman

Communications expert

Michelle is a storyteller and communications professional. With nearly 20 years of experience in the field, Michelle loves sharing people’s stories to help influence better living solutions for people and the environment.

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