Pants for interstitial cystitis or hip pain

Finding pants I can wear when my IC is bad—the project that started this blog. I was at work recently when I had a bit of a crisis. I had basically been living in basketball shorts and leggings (and sweatpants when no one could see me). Now, I have no problem wearing these things sometimes. Sometimes I’m feeling those kinds of looks. But as someone who used to almost exclusively wear jeans, it was really getting to me. And especially for more professional situations, the workout look wasn’t sustainable.

The number of pants I owned that I was able to wear was already cut down a couple of years ago when hip pain made tight pants across the upper hips unbearable, and then IC came along and made pants across the lower hips unbearable. With that in mind, the shopping tips and brands here should work for people with both bladder pain from IC and hip pain from AS.

Update 3/27/19: I recently had some pants success shopping in the juniors section at Kohl’s, so for more recent juniors styles, check out Pants for pelvic pain, spring 2019. For Betabrand and Old Navy, read on.

Betabrand

A few months ago, when my IC started getting unbearable, I looked into what kind of pants could work for me and found Betabrand. They look really ideal for someone who needs a professional look that’s still comfortable, but unfortunately, I never got to try them. My order never made it to its destination, and they’re now back-ordered 1-2 months at time of writing.

Still, they come highly recommended, and they have comfortable designs for both men and women (some on the pricier side, $50-100+, but the quality seems worth it). They’ve got dress pant yoga pants and sweatpants (women’s and men’s styles, respectively). Since they’re all made of soft, stretchy materials, uncomfortable waistband pressure should be completely avoided, and reviews say they’re easy to return if they don’t end up working out. I’d still like to be able to try these sometime in the future.

Old Navy

Old Navy is where I ended up dragging my partner to resolve the great pants crisis, and it was a fabulous choice. The pants are the most comfortable I’ve owned and very affordable. In this case, it’s key to try on the clothing in the store, because ordering online might result in a lot of returns.

I tested all the fabrics, especially the waistbands, for stretch before trying them out. The materials that were less stretchy I actually bought up a size if they turned out to still be comfortable. Since these aren’t yoga pants and sweatpants, it’s also important to consider where the waistband falls. I’ve found a higher waist, at least mid-rise, is better for both my bladder and my hips.

For people who don’t have the ability to try on clothes in store, the pants I found that worked for me were the women’s Mid-rise Pixie Pants. The Rockstar Jeans also had some really stretchable waistbands. Additionally, they had pants that looked nice that were made of softer fabrics, like their Soft Pants for women.

Their men’s clothing had options with more flexible tops, too. While the men’s jeans in general didn’t seem as flexible as the women’s, their Jogger pants were roughly equivalent to the women’s Soft Pants: they’ve got a nice casual look with a stretchable waistband.

I didn’t usually shop at Old Navy, but I was at such a loss for pants that I figured it was worth a try. The idea came from a recommendation in an article on The Mighty, and it was definitely worth the trip. I had so much more luck at Old Navy in an hour than I ever had at Kohl’s over many trips.

Update 1/9/19: Currently enjoying some jeggings and Rockstar lined jeans from Old Navy in the colder weather. I had to go up a size, but the waistbands are super comfy and forgiving. Plus, the fleecy lining in the jeans is nice and soft for when my joints are aching.

Your thoughts?

Admittedly, that was a short list, but I just want people to know that there are options out there.  When I started looking into the issue, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to find pants I could wear that were reasonably affordable. I also don’t have much patience for shopping, so this list was made by and for people who want to make a quick trip and be done.

I’m definitely interested in what other people have to say. Do you have a favorite store for comfy pants? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

-Bri

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