Making Open-bottom Wheelchair Pants

I designed several types of adaptive clothing for my mom with ALS. This post will detail how to make open-bottom wheelchair pants by modifying existing pants (I chose stretchy, elastic waist pants, but it would be possible to use other types of styles and fabrics with some tweaking).  When looking down (or from the side) at the person seated in their chair or laying in bed, the pants will look complete - you should not be able to see any bare skin. Only the person and his/ her caregiver will know the person's bottom is bare.

When my mother needed open bottom pants (to prevent the need to lower pants down and out of the way when using the restroom and when she was using the lift), we found Silvert's open bottom wheelchair pants. These were great, but apparently, they were designed to be used by someone who could stand and/or support their own weight - because while you could slide the leg part on while the person was in a seated position, the waist closure was in the middle of the back. This is almost impossible to reach if the person is seated in a chair or laying on a bed. 

I decided to modify the Silvert's pants so that a caregiver could put them on easily while the person was seated in the chair or laying on a bed.

 For this project, I'm assuming you are fairly experienced at sewing, so I will not be drawing out every single step. If something is confusing, just let me know and I'll try to explain it better.

Altering Pants To Be Open-Bottom For Wheelchair/Lift.

This works best on baggy sweat pants (or other knit material not requiring finished edges).


Seated Side Point (SSP)- When the person is seated mark the waist where the person's side meets the back of the chair then measure one and a half inches toward the back seam. This is your Seated Side Point. 

Seated Side Measurement (SSM). Measure the distance from SSP to the seat of the chair. This number is your Seated Side Measurement.

1. Mark the Seated Side point on the waistband.
   In this image, the SSM is marked on the left, but you can put the mark on whichever side is most convenient for the caregiver to access when securing the pants. Ex. if the person's bed is up against a wall then the opposite side from the wall would be the better place to put a closure so the caregiver doesn't have to lean over the person to access the closure.)
2. Stitch the waistband on both sides of SSP to secure the elastic. 

Seated Back Measurement (SBM). When the person is seated, at the center back, measure from the top of the waistband to the seat of the chair. 

Marking the cutting line.
3.   From the top of the waistband, draw an imaginary SSM line plus 2 inches down the center back seam of the pant. Mark the bottom of this line on the pants.
4.   Starting at the Seated Side Point on the waistband (between the 2 rows of stitches) and going straight down the back of the pants, draw a cutting line the length of the Seated Side Measurement (SSM) plus 1 inch. " 

5.   On the opposite side of the pants, draw a matching imaginary line straight down the length of the pant.  Seated Back Measurement + 1". Mark this bottom point on the pants.
6.   Connect these 3 marks with a curved line.
7.   Cut between the stitched lines at the waistband straight down to the curved line.
8.  Pivot and cut along the curved line.

9.    Open the crotch seam from the cutting line toward the front of the pants as far as is needed to allow the person to urinate easily without wetting his or her pants.  This opening will not be visible when the person is seated with their knees together but should allow access to the groin area when the person is seated on the commode with knees slightly apart.

Adding Plackets:

Materials: 

2 pieces of matching/coordinating fabric 4" x (Seated Back Measurement +2"). 

Interfacing approximately the same dimensions. 

Closures - Velcro, magnetic snaps, hooks, separating zipper...

10.   Apply interfacing to the WRONG SIDE of both placket pieces. 

11.   Fold each placket piece in half (RIGHT SIDEs together). 

12.   With a 1/2" seam allowance, stitch the top and bottom edge of each placket (short sides).

13.   Turn the placket pieces RIGHT SIDE out and press (you can edgestitch the placket if you'd like it to lay a little flatter. 

14.   Apply preferred closures to plackets (velcro, large skirt hooks, magnetic purse snaps... can be modified slightly if you want to use a separating zipper). 

15.   Stitch raw edges of plackets to the raw edge of pants openings. Consider serging, zig-zagging, or covering this seam with seam tape to make it lay flat and prevent the seam from irritating the skin on the hips and buttocks of the person sitting on it all day.

To Use:
While the person is seated or laying down, slide the pant legs up the person's legs and into place (legs will be completely encased in fabric, but the bottom will remain bare).
If the person is in a chair, lean the person slightly forward and slip the back panel between the person's backside and the chair. Secure the back panel on the side using closures.
If the person is laying down, press the back panel against the person's hip. Roll the person onto that hip and keep rolling until you can see the back panel. Smooth the panel flat on the bed and roll the person back toward you until they are flat on their back. Secure the back panel on the side using closures.

For comfort, and in case of incontinence, a towel or absorbent pad can be placed on the seat under the person. This pad will remain on the bed or in the chair when the person stands or is lifted out.