Recovering from open heart surgery (OHS) requires careful attention to daily activities, including dressing. Choosing the right clothing supports the body’s healing process. Selecting specialized garments aids recovery by preventing friction on the incision, minimizing strain on the breastbone, and ensuring comfort. This approach helps maintain mobility and reduces the risk of complications like infection or sternal instability. Thoughtful clothing choices allow patients to manage pain and regain independence during recovery.
Prioritizing Comfort and Fabric Choice
The material of clothing worn after open heart surgery is a primary consideration for protecting the sensitive incision site. Soft, natural fibers like cotton, modal, or bamboo blends are recommended because they are gentle against the skin and minimize irritation near the sternotomy incision. These fabrics are naturally breathable, allowing air circulation around the wound. Good airflow helps maintain a clean, dry environment, reducing the risk of moisture buildup that can slow healing or encourage bacterial growth.
Materials that are scratchy, such as some wools, or heavy, stiff synthetics should be avoided. Clothing with heavy seams, tight elastic, or prominent tags should also be kept away from the chest area to prevent friction and pressure. Loose-fitting jersey knits offer softness and slight stretch for movement without constriction. Washing new garments with a mild, fragrance-free detergent is suggested to remove manufacturing residues that could irritate hypersensitive skin.
Safe Dressing: Design Features for Sternum Protection
The most important consideration for post-OHS clothing is protecting the sternum, or breastbone, which was surgically divided and rejoined. Healing the breastbone requires strict adherence to sternal precautions, which prohibit movements involving pushing, pulling, or lifting more than a few pounds (often limited to five pounds). This directly affects how clothing must be put on and taken off, ruling out most traditional pullover shirts.
Upper body garments must feature front closures, such as buttons, snaps, or zippers, to eliminate the need for raising the arms overhead or stretching across the chest. Button-down pajama tops, robes, and loose-fitting shirts that open completely in the front are ideal for safe dressing. To dress safely, patients are instructed to sit down, put one arm through a sleeve while keeping the elbow close to the body, and then repeat the process with the second arm before fastening the front.
Garments should be loose-fitting, perhaps one or two sizes larger than normal, to drape gently and accommodate any residual swelling or medical equipment like drains or monitoring wires. Loose-fitting trousers, such as sweatpants or pajama bottoms with elastic waistbands or drawstrings, are recommended because they are easier to pull on than stiff jeans. The technique for pulling up bottoms should minimize bending and twisting, often accomplished by sitting down and using a dressing stick if necessary.
Essential Support Items and Footwear
Beyond standard clothing, several specialized items are important for safety and comfort during recovery. Footwear should consist of non-slip, closed-back slippers or slip-on sneakers that require minimal effort to put on. Avoiding shoes with laces or complicated fastenings helps prevent bending or straining, which could compromise sternal precautions and increase the risk of an accidental fall.
For women, a soft, supportive post-operative bra or specialized vest may be recommended. These garments provide gentle compression without constriction and are designed to avoid rubbing the sternal incision while offering necessary support. Post-operative compression vests stabilize the breastbone, reducing micromovements during activities like breathing or coughing, which lowers pain levels and aids healing.
Lightweight, front-fastening robes are valuable for layering and warmth, especially during the initial recovery period when fatigue and temperature sensitivity are common. The use of a small, firm pillow or cushion is recommended to brace the chest when coughing, sneezing, or laughing. This acts as an external support to protect the healing sternum from sudden internal pressure.