# Why do people with prosthetic legs wear shorts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 1, 2014, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-prosthetic-legs-wear-shorts/680246 "2014-02-01T00:14:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Artemis\_Tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@Artemis\_Tardis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Artemis_Tardis)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2014, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-prosthetic-legs-wear-shorts/680246/1 "2014-02-01T00:14:27Z")
I have seen quite a lot of people with prosthetic legs. They look awesome, and I understand that the ownser would be quite proud of it. Is there a practical/technical reason for wearing shorts rather than pants with those legs? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2014, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-prosthetic-legs-wear-shorts/680246/2 "2014-02-01T00:17:08Z")
Might be a hot day. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2014, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-prosthetic-legs-wear-shorts/680246/3 "2014-02-01T00:21:40Z")
Why not? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2014, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-prosthetic-legs-wear-shorts/680246/4 "2014-02-01T00:25:01Z")
I guess the only reason a double above-knee amputee might _not_ wear shorts could be too keep his/her legs cool - but even then, there’s an airflow thing with shorts that you don’t get with longer trousers. So I think the answer is: pretty much the same reasons anyone else wears shorts. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2014, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-prosthetic-legs-wear-shorts/680246/5 "2014-02-01T00:25:08Z")
get some sun. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2014, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-prosthetic-legs-wear-shorts/680246/6 "2014-02-01T00:26:42Z")
This is probably a case of confirmation bias. You see people with prosthetic legs every day wearing pants, but you don’t notice because you can’t tell. But when you see someone with a prosthetic leg wearing shorts, you can tell immediately, so it stands out, and you feel like most people with prosthetics must wear shorts. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2014, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-prosthetic-legs-wear-shorts/680246/7 "2014-02-01T00:28:51Z")
Speaking as a left below-knee amputee, one reason would be because it’s easier to take the prosthesis off when you’re wearing shorts. I’ve been on time-restriction (I can wear it four hours on, one hour off) the last month or so and I’ve been wearing sweatshorts 99% of that time because it’s easier than having to take your pants down in the middle of the day. It’s also why I can’t go back to work until I’m on full-day wear again…can’t wear shorts to work and can’t take the leg off in public while wearing dress trousers. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2014, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-prosthetic-legs-wear-shorts/680246/8 "2014-02-01T00:31:26Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > can’t take the leg off in public while wearing dress trousers. Do you ever disconnect your prosthesis when you’re wearing long pants and ‘accidentally’ get knocked down by strangers and shout at them, 'Look what you’ve done to my leg, you bastard! :mad: ’ ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2014, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-prosthetic-legs-wear-shorts/680246/9 "2014-02-01T00:36:11Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Do you ever disconnect your prosthesis when you’re wearing long pants and ‘accidentally’ get knocked down by strangers and shout at them, 'Look what you’ve done to my leg, you bastard! :mad: ’ 🙂 No…I don’t like falling. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2014, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-prosthetic-legs-wear-shorts/680246/10 "2014-02-01T00:42:51Z")
If you wear shorts to a ball game, or to the beach, does your prosthesis get hot? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2014, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-prosthetic-legs-wear-shorts/680246/11 "2014-02-01T00:53:13Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > If you wear shorts to a ball game, or to the beach, does your prosthesis get hot? It does. It can get uncomfortable, but I’ve never actually been burned by it. There’s usually at least three layers (one of them fairly thick silicone) between the actual socket walls and my leg. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2014, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-prosthetic-legs-wear-shorts/680246/12 "2014-02-01T00:56:18Z")
What kind of job do you have where they won’t accommodate to your wearing shorts for a few days or weeks? I think they should. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2014, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-prosthetic-legs-wear-shorts/680246/13 "2014-02-01T01:07:41Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > What kind of job do you have where they won’t accommodate to your wearing shorts for a few days or weeks? I think they should. I work with the public (office job where I occasionally help a client face-to-face), so I can’t go TOO casual. ---
**Author:** ![turtlescanfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@turtlescanfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/turtlescanfly)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2014, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-prosthetic-legs-wear-shorts/680246/14 "2014-02-01T01:09:26Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > What kind of job do you have where they won’t accommodate to your wearing shorts for a few days or weeks? I think they should. Not only SHOULD, but I would think that the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) would REQUIRE it. ---
**Author:** ![Artemis\_Tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@Artemis\_Tardis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Artemis_Tardis)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2014, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-prosthetic-legs-wear-shorts/680246/15 "2014-02-01T01:24:24Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > 🙂 No…I don’t like falling. Please, get a rubber leg, some ketchup, a camera… ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2014, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-prosthetic-legs-wear-shorts/680246/16 "2014-02-01T01:27:37Z")
I see athletic pants with zippered legs so you can turn shorts into long pants and vice versa. Maybe a tailor could do you a couple pairs of those. You’d only need one zip-off leg; shouldn’t be too difficult actually. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2014, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-prosthetic-legs-wear-shorts/680246/17 "2014-02-01T02:30:54Z")
I bet he could wear a skirt. He’d have the ADA and GLAAD and the ACLU all at his back 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2014, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-prosthetic-legs-wear-shorts/680246/18 "2014-02-01T06:58:44Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I bet he could wear a skirt. He’d have the ADA and GLAAD and the ACLU all at his back 😃 Or a short plaid skirt, which everyone will recognize as a kilt. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2014, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-prosthetic-legs-wear-shorts/680246/19 "2014-02-01T07:40:37Z")
A good reason to wear shorts is in case you have to take the prosthetic off in a hurry. Walking on your stumps would be a problem with full pant legs getting in the way. Especially if you’re Oscar Pistorius. ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2014, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-prosthetic-legs-wear-shorts/680246/20 "2014-02-01T12:44:52Z")
To Jayjay: Ever been tempted to take off your leg and beat somebody with it? 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-prosthetic-legs-wear-shorts/680246.md?page=2)