to buy a walking stick

[Kaloki]

I don't need one and in all honesty it wouldn't help me in the slightest, but as I have a back problem which means I cannot walk that fast (when I can walk at all) it would mean that there would be some visual sign of something wrong. Maybe then people wouldn't feel such need to make snidey comments about how slow I am while walking behind me! Especially when they are encouraging their child to announce loudly that I am far too slow.

yes buy it to hit the ignorant twats with

YANBU but be very cautious. Walking with a stick alters your posture and won't assist a back condition. It may, however, do your hips in.

I have osteo-arthritis which has left me missing the more useful thumb joints. But because I am not some stereotypical little old granny,I find people tutting away merrily in supermarkets on those days when the hands just won't go as fast. I don't know what the solution is (red flag tied to posterior?)but I sympathise entirely!

I have upper back pain, so I know a stick will be no use whatsoever. I can only hope that as I'm a total short arse that I can find a stick long enough that I wont actually need to lean at all.

I don't understand why people just assume that all illnesses/injuries are visible to them. That sounds so awful for you!

Kaloki- I know how you feel. Walking downstairs is sometimes a nightmare for me, and I always try and make sure no one is walking behind me.

Try and ignore the ignorant comments - because that is what they are.

get one, but make sure it's one with a tiny little flask concealed within so you need never be without your favourite tipple

Do these exist?! That would be amazing! "oh no, I'm not drunk, just disabled "

You can get adjustable ones on Ebay,sometimesfrom walking shops,I can try and get a link to the one I have if you want?It suitedme (I have joint problems in my big toes- sounds mionor but hurts sooo much at times) and plantar fasciitis.
But it also suited ds2 when the school decided telling them the varnish was sticky in school thenmaking them dance on it barefoot was OK.... as he leaped he left part of the sole of his foot behind. Needed stitches, he'sonly 8 and a shortarse.

As for the rest- its par for the course with invisible disabilities I am afraid and it is ignorance, plain and simple. Ignore them as best you can, but if a stick helps peopleknow to steer around you / give you time, why not?

Kaloki if it will honest make you feel more confident when out then I would go ahead with it.
My DH is seriously considering buying a zimmer frame, for his occasional sore knee. He's 40.

I really feel for you, my mum suffers terribly and at times needs to use her wheelchair but has good periods when she can walk albeit slowly.

The only time in my life I have ever wanted to physically hit another adult was when a woman behind us in sainsburys hit my mum in the back of her legs with her shopping trolley because she 'wasn't going fast enough'. .

Why can't we all just have some patience?

I vote for getting a stick just to hit unpleasant people with.

NightShoe That's horrible! What is wrong with these people?!

Kaloki this iswhat I have

Ooh thankyou for that

Buy a stick if it helps. Unfortunately for me, my disability is partial deafness. As I am still trying to get hearing aids, I have nothing visible to "proclaim" my problem, and people simply assume you're think when you ask them to repeat what they said.

Mind you, when I have had one or two really insensitive replies, I fix them with a stare, and loudly say "I'm deaf, not thick", at which point they usually have the grace to blush as others snigger at them.

think, should obviously be thick (should check my spelling

Both my dad and brother are partially deaf Nefartari, so was talking to my dad about this the other day. You'd think asking people to repeat themselves would be a sign of not hearing rather than anything else.

Is it wrong that part of me wishes that idiots like that would develop some horrendous invisible illness that changed they way they interacted with the world.

My partner bought a stick, he is disabled but like you a stick doesnt help him with his disability, just makes people more aware he has a problem so stops some of the comments. But it backfired when he was using it round tesco last week and my 8yo dd said in a very loud voice 'mummy why does Marc only use a stick when we are outside, he never uses one at home!' cue lots of people assuming he is on the fiddle lol!