I Can Do That!

As children get older, they inevitabely need to learn to tie their shoes unless they want to wear velcrow (which is a good solution for many). Here are to methods on how to tie your shoes as a below the elbow or barely above the elbow amputee.

METHOD #1- The Easier Way
(new shoe laces are required)

1. Put both laces in one hand and pull.
2. Cross the laces over to opposite sides. Put one lace over, around, then under the other to make a loose knot.
3. Put pressure on one side using the amputed arm. Pull with the other hand. Now you have a tighter knot.
4. Repeat steps 2-3 again. You should end with two knots.
5. Take the tip of the lace from one side in your hand. Thread the tip through the knot. Do the same to the other lace.
6. To make this so that it won’t fall out, tie the loops in a knot. Do this by folding one knot in, taking the other loop over it, then through the gap between the two loops. Tighten the knot as you did with the laces in step 3. You have tied your shoes!

METHOD #2- More complicated

1. Perform steps 1-3 above to make a knot.
2. Using your full hand, on the side of the amputation, make a loop. Hold it in place by putting your amputated arm on top of where the lop starts, pushing the laces into the shoe.
3. Make on loop on the other side and hold it.
4. Cross that loop over the origanal loop. Hold both loops in place using your amputated arm again.
5. Take the origanal loop in your hand. Wrap it over the other loop and pull it through the space between the two loops. You should still be holding the laces with your arm.
6. Now readjust your arm so that it is pressing against the loop of one side. Grab the loop and lace on the other side. Pull. It is now tightened! You tied your shoe!
7. To make this last longer, make a double knot by follow step 8 of method 1.

Tying your shoes may be difficult at first, but anyone can learn. It just takes practice. Don’t give up. Remember- practice makes perfect!

Many girl amputees feel that they are unable to paint their nails because they only have one hand. This is not true. Here’s one way a amputee can paint her own nails.

1. Sit on a surface which is allowed to get nailpolish on it. (This is unlikely to happen, but it may)
2. Roll up your pant leg that corresponds to the arm which is amputated. (ex- Missing your right arm- roll up your right pant leg) Or, you can just wear shorts.
3. Open up the nail polish container.
4. Bend your corresponding leg so that your foot is flat on the ground/surface and your amputated arm can easily reach your knee.
5. Place the nail polish brush on your knee, then put your amputated arm on top of the brush to hold it in place.
6. In order to paint your nails on the other hand, move your nails into the brush. In other words, instead of painting your nails by moving the brush, move your finger and hand that is being painted.
7. When you need more nail polish on the brush, dip the brush into the nail polish using your full hand, then replace the brush.
8. After much practice, one will be able to do this flawlessly. At this time, you can start to draw SIMPLE designs on your nails with thin brushes by changing the angle on the nail to the brush, etc. It is difficult, but with practice, it’s possible. Letters are often the easiest. I’ve drawn the New York Yankee sign and writen the letters of my school’s name on my fingers for Spirit Day.

Painting your nails with one hand is possible, but as with most things, takes much practice to perfect.

There are many taks that people with amputation have trouble with. I know this from my personal experiance. One task that I used to struggle with was putting up my hair. Here is how I do it as a just below the elbow amputee.

1. Grab hair at the base of the neck and twist the hair completely.
2. Spiral the hair around into a bun shape tightly in the center of the neck where you would like the pony to be.
3. Put pressure at the end of the hair in the bun with the amputated arm.
4. Put the ponytail holder on top on the bun completely.
5. Reposition the amputated arm on top of the ponytail holder to hold it in place around the bun
6. Twist the pony holder once and put it around the bun again. (depending on the size of the ponyholder, you may need to repeat this step)
7. Pull the hair out of the bun starting near the end of the hair. This is the hardest part. It takes practice to get this just right.
8. Separate the hair in half with your good arm. Put one half under your amputated arm (front to back). Hold onto the other half and pull to tighten the pony.

You’re done!

As with many things, different people will have to do things differently. You must adapt yourself to be the best and most capable person you can be!