Pajamas for People with Arthritis and Mobility Issues

Trying to get through the holiday season while suffering from symptoms of arthritis (and other mobility issues) can be miserable. Pain, swelling, stiffness, and a decreased range of motion are only made worse by cold weather, which makes it difficult to participate in many holiday festivities. One thing you don’t have to miss out on, though, is matching family Christmas pajamas!

Mobility issues, like arthritis, make it hard to put on and take off pajamas, especially if those pajamas fit too tightly or require a lot of fine motor skills; nightshirts that have buttons down the middle, for example, are difficult for people with stiff, achy fingers wear because doing so requires fiddling with small buttons. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t give a loved one some fun Christmas pajamas, though! It just means that when buying Christmas pajamas for someone with arthritis, you need to be conscious of that person’s needs to make their life as convenient as possible. In this article, we’re going to break down what some of the best pajama options are for people with limited mobility and point out the types of pajamas that should (typically) be avoided.

Typically designed for women, nightshirts are a great pajama choice for arthritis patients. They usually fit like a long, loose shirt, with a neck hole big enough that wearing one doesn’t require a lot (if any) awkward pulling.

Since all it takes to wear a nightshirt is putting your head through the neck and then your arms through each armhole, there isn’t a lot of movement involved, which is the ideal qualifier for pajamas that are good for patients with arthritis.

Shirts that you wear by pulling over your head, in contrast to shirts that have buttons going up the middle, are a good choice for the same reason that nightshirts are.

The only thing about shirts with a regular length is that they’ll need to be paired with the right bottoms, which is where our next option comes in.

People with mobility issues need pajama bottoms that aren’t too tight and that are easy to pull up. If you’ve ever had to wiggle into your pants because of how tight they are, you probably understand why tight bottoms wouldn’t be ideal for patients with stiff and hurting joints.

Whether you’re shopping for someone else or for yourself, make sure you pick loose-fitting bottoms with an elastic waistband for the best results.

Though they’re not usually worn as pajamas by themselves, women's robes and men's robes are still great gifts for people with mobility issues because of how warm they are and how easy they are to take on and off. All you have to do is slip your arms inside and loosely tie the wrap around your waist and you’ll be toasty all night long!

Speaking of staying toasty, try to stick with warm materials like cotton, fleece, and other knitted materials. One of the common complaints and symptoms of arthritis is feeling cold, and wearing pajamas made of warm materials is one of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent that feeling, especially on those freezing, winter nights.

For obvious reasons, pajamas that have a row of buttons down the middle are NOT ideal for patients who have arthritis; even the buttons that snap instead of slipping through a hole can be tricky for patients with stiff, uncooperative fingers.

There are some women’s pajama bottoms that fit like leggings, and men’s bottoms that fit like long johns. Leggings are tight all over the leg while long johns are tight around the ankle, but bottoms that fit too tightly can be problematic for people who have mobility issues and arthritis. Pulling them up can be problematic because of how much movement and grip strength it requires, so look for loose-fitting bottoms with stretchy, elastic waistbands.

Patients with low mobility and arthritis have trouble moving, so they need clothes that do a lot of the moving for them. That’s why pajama bottoms without an elastic waistband simply will not do. Shop for bottoms that have an elastic waistband and fit loosely all the way down the leg to give your loved one the most comfortable option possible.