to use a walking stick and accept help?

[oopslateagain]

I have hypermobility syndrome, which isn't severe or anything but its a nuisance. And due to it, I get a lot of pain in my right knee.

A couple of weeks ago I sprained my left ankle. It's still swollen and painful if I walk on it for too long, and because I've been favouring it when walking, my right knee has started acting up again. So I got out my walking stick and have been using it occasionally when I know I'm going to be on my feet a lot.

We went to a National Trust house, and it had lots of winding stairs. I got offered a seat several times, which was lovely, and I let DH take DD up to the roof so I didn't have to go up yet another staircase.

But I felt really quite stupidly guilty because the people there were being really nice to me, obviously thinking I had some real problem with mobility. I felt an insane urge to explain to everyone that I just had a sprained ankle, but I kept my mouth shut.

Is it really stupid to feel guilty? I almost felt like I was deceiving everyone there. Not to mention the nice people round here who let me sit down at the bus stop.

You need the helps and it's temporary. ywbu if you kept the stick when you no longer needed it just for the sympathy you might get.

Silly to feel guilty - if it hurts enough for you to think using a stick would help, then accept people being nice about it and helping you. People won't be thinking anything more than "her leg hurts", they won't be assuming you have some serious disability, you're not deceiving them in any way.

Don't fret unless you find yourself whipping out your stick on a crowded bus in a couple of months and feigning a limp.

I think I might get myself a walking stick it sounds really useful.

I know its stupid to feel guilty but I do! Though maybe it will be useful at theme parks over the summer... I'll be the crazy mum whacking legs so we can get to the front of the line

I will attempt to smile gracefully and accept offers of help and nice comfy seats. If I still feel guilty I'm sure it can be cured by several glasses of wine later

You are being. v sensible. Wish I could persuade my mother to do the same... but she will not admit that she struggles (due to a foot problem and, tbh, obesity).