One-Handed Dressing Techniques: A Step-by-Step Guide

Getting dressed with one hand can take practice, whether you're recovering from surgery, managing an injury or living with a condition that affects one side of your body. Tasks like buttoning a shirt, pulling up pants or starting a zipper may require a different approach when you can't rely on both hands.

Fortunately, changes to your dressing technique, clothing and everyday routine can make many of these tasks more manageable.

This guide covers how to get dressed using one hand, including practical techniques for shirts, pants, sweaters, socks and shoes, plus adaptive clothing features and dressing aids that may help.

Important: If you have an injury, have recently undergone surgery or have movement restrictions, follow your healthcare team's instructions. Some of the techniques below may need to be modified to protect an affected arm or shoulder.

How to Get Dressed With One Hand

Before trying individual dressing techniques, it helps to establish a routine.

Start by choosing a sturdy chair, gathering your entire outfit and placing everything within easy reach. Allow extra time, especially if you're learning to dress with one hand for the first time.

If one arm is weak, injured or has limited mobility, a common occupational therapy technique is to dress that arm first and remove it from clothing last. This generally allows your more functional arm to perform most of the work.

If you need to wear a sling or have restrictions on shoulder movement, ask your occupational therapist to demonstrate the appropriate technique before attempting it independently.

How to Put on a Shirt With One Hand

The technique depends on whether you're wearing a front-opening shirt or a pullover.

Putting on a Button-Down Shirt With One Hand

A front-opening shirt is often a practical option because it doesn't need to be pulled over your head.

Step 1: Prepare the shirt. Sit in a sturdy chair with the shirt completely unfastened and positioned within reach.

Step 2: Dress the affected arm first. Using your functional hand, guide the affected hand into its sleeve. Carefully work the fabric over the elbow and toward the shoulder without forcing the arm into an uncomfortable position. For more specifics around this step, here's a helpful occupational therapy guide on one-handed dressing from the Royal Berkshire National Hospital System.

Step 3: Bring the shirt around your back. Once the affected arm is inside its sleeve, use your functional hand to bring the shirt across your back and into position.

Step 4: Put your functional arm into the second sleeve. Adjust the shoulders and collar until the shirt sits comfortably.

Step 5: Fasten the front. Magnetic closures, larger fasteners or an appropriate dressing aid may make this final step easier.

This sequence is consistent with occupational therapy guidance from the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, which also recommends supporting an affected arm on a pillow during dressing when appropriate.

For people who have difficulty manipulating small buttons, magnetic button shirts can reduce some of the fine-motor coordination required to fasten a traditional button-down.

Putting on a Pullover Shirt With One Hand

Some people prefer pullovers, particularly when the shirt has a wide neckline and flexible fabric.

Start by placing the shirt on your lap with the front facing downward and the neckline toward you. Gather the sleeve for the affected arm and carefully guide that arm through first, using your functional hand to position the fabric.

Once the sleeve is in place, use your functional hand to bring the neckline over your head and guide your other arm into its sleeve. Finally, pull the shirt down and straighten the fabric.

This technique may not be suitable for everyone. If overhead movement is restricted, a front-opening shirt may be more appropriate.

How to Take Off a Shirt With One Hand

When removing a shirt, reverse the usual dressing sequence.

For a front-opening shirt, undo the closures and remove the sleeve from your functional arm first. Then use that hand to carefully guide the fabric off your affected arm.

The general rule is simple: dress the affected arm first and undress it last.

How to Put on Pants With One Hand

Lower-body dressing can be challenging because pulling pants into position typically requires both hands. If balance is also affected, dressing while seated is particularly important.

Step 1: Sit in a sturdy chair with your pants positioned in front of you.

Step 2: If one leg is weaker or has limited movement, put that leg through the pant opening first. Use your functional hand to gather the fabric and guide it over the foot and toward the knee.

Step 3: Put your other leg into the second opening.

Step 4: Use your functional hand to pull the pants up as far as possible while remaining seated.

Step 5: If you can stand safely, stand and finish adjusting the waistband. If standing or balancing is difficult, ask an occupational therapist to demonstrate an appropriate alternative.

For many people, the waistband presents the biggest challenge. Elastic waistbands can eliminate the need to manipulate small buttons, hooks or zippers.

Side-opening pants may also help when getting the legs through conventional pant openings is difficult. However, the easiest design depends on whether the main challenge is hand coordination, leg movement or maintaining balance.

How to Put on a Sweater or Jacket With One Hand

Sweaters, jackets and hoodies present two distinct challenges: getting your arms into the sleeves and managing the closure.

For a front-opening cardigan or jacket, use the same general technique as a button-down shirt. Dress the affected arm first, bring the garment around your back and then insert your functional arm.

Choose styles with roomy sleeves and flexible fabrics when possible.

How to Zip a Jacket With One Hand

Traditional zippers can be especially frustrating because starting them often requires one hand to hold the zipper base while the other inserts the zipper pin.

An easier-start zipper or magnetic zipper can reduce the coordination required for this step.

For example, Joe & Bella's HoodEase magnetic zip-up hoodie uses magnets to guide the two sides of the zipper together, allowing the wearer to pull it closed with one hand.

Nurse Taylor's Tip

"When you're learning to dress with one hand, prepare the garment before you start. Open the closures, gather the sleeves or pant legs, and position everything within reach. Focus on one movement at a time rather than trying to complete the entire task at once. If a particular step remains difficult, that's where a different clothing feature or dressing aid may help."

How to Put on Socks and Shoes With One Hand

Socks and footwear may require a different technique because the clothing is harder to reach and often needs to be held open while being put on.

For socks, sit in a stable position and use your functional hand to gather the sock from its opening toward the toe. Position it over your toes, then gradually work it over your heel and up your foot.

If you cannot comfortably reach your feet, a sock aid may help. Ask an occupational therapist about a device you can operate with your available hand.

For footwear, slip-on shoes, hook-and-loop fasteners and elastic shoelaces can remove the need to tie conventional laces. A long-handled shoehorn may also reduce the amount of bending required. These are among the options recommended in NHS one-handed dressing guidance.

What Clothing Is Easiest to Put On With One Hand?

Not every adaptive feature addresses the same problem. The most useful clothing depends on the specific step that's difficult.

One-Handed Dressing Aids and Tools

Adaptive clothing isn't the only option. Several tools can help with particular dressing tasks.

Common dressing aids include button hooks, dressing sticks, sock aids, long-handled shoe horns, zipper-pull extensions and elastic shoelaces.

Keep in mind that some aids still require two-handed coordination. If you have little or no use of one arm, an occupational therapist can help identify tools and techniques appropriate for your abilities.

Here's a helpful guide for how to live with one-hand use from the Cambridge University Hospitals.

Additional Tips for Dressing With One Hand

Beyond specific techniques and adaptive clothing, a few changes to your routine may help.

Prepare your outfit in advance. Lay your clothes out in dressing order and open any complicated closures before beginning.

Keep everything within reach. Position your clothing, footwear and dressing aids where you can access them without repeatedly standing, bending or stretching.

Choose clothing that's easy to manage. Consider the weight, fit, fabric and fastening method of each garment. A loose shirt with complicated closures may still be harder to use than a better-fitting shirt with simplified fasteners.

Practice individual movements. If you can put on a shirt but struggle to fasten it, focus on improving that particular step rather than changing your entire dressing routine.

Know when to ask for assistance. If you have difficulty maintaining your balance, supporting an injured limb or managing your clothing without excessive strain, ask your occupational therapist about alternative techniques.

One-Handed Dressing After a Stroke or Surgery

Although many one-handed dressing techniques are similar, the underlying reason for limited arm movement matters.

Someone recovering from shoulder surgery may have strict movement restrictions and need a technique that protects the operated shoulder.

A person who has experienced a stroke may also have changes in balance, muscle tone, sensation or movement on one side of the body.

For these situations, we've developed more specialized resources:

Stroke Dressing Techniques: How to Get Dressed After a Stroke

What to Wear After Shoulder or Rotator Cuff Surgery

If you are helping someone else get dressed, our ADL Dressing Tips for Caregivers also covers assisted dressing, preserving independence and choosing caregiver-friendly clothing.

Making One-Handed Dressing Easier

Learning to dress with one hand often involves changing both your technique and the clothing you wear.

You may not need to replace your entire wardrobe. A magnetic closure, an easier-start zipper, a flexible waistband or a suitable dressing aid may address the particular part of your routine that's causing difficulty.

The goal is to find a dressing routine that works for your abilities while preserving as much independence and personal style as possible. 

If you're looking for further reading about how to help someone with their daily activities, this ADL Guide for Caregivers will help.

About the Author

Ben Graham is the VP of Marketing at Joe & Bella. He leads content creation and partnerships, bringing together caregiving, aging experts and adaptive-clothing experts so Joe & Bella customers are fully equipped with knowledge to help them on their aging and caregiving journeys. With deep experience in research and writing, Ben ensures that all content is accurate and backed by research.