#mobility disability

[cripplecharacters]

I’m currently writing a story where one character has a (currently undecided, still doing research) condition that affects their joints & overall physical strength, with one of his legs being significantly more affected due to an accident where he got permanently injured in addition to his pre existing disability.

His other leg is still relatively functional, just somewhat unstable, and I was wondering what mobility aids would make the most sense for him to use? (This is set in modern day btw, it is an urban fantasy story, but I rlly didn’t want to use the ‘magic automatically fixes all’ excuse especially bc of the way magic works in this world)

I currently have him using elbow crutches for the first bit of the story and potentially later a cane when he gets separated from his crutches. Do u think these would be suitable aids? Any tips would be very helpful :)

Hi asker,

These do sound like suitable aids for joint issues!

Crutches are meant to support up to ~90% of body weight, while canes do about ~30% and are often used when you either need help with balance or have one leg that's much more affected than the other. Crutches also put less strain on the wrist than a cane would, but you do need pretty good upper body strength to use them, more than you would need while using a cane. While they're designed to lessen the impact they have on your upper body, you are still using your upper body in a different way than usual, so if you use them you've got to be able to handle it.

You could also look at walkers/rollators as a mobility aid, depending on what his condition is. (Rollators are walkers with wheels.) They can be steadier than crutches, but they might not work if your character struggles to put weight on one or both legs since you do need to be walking to use one. But if his upper body is affected, this might be a useful tool so he's not putting strain on it (even if it's sometimes).

Also, depending on how much he depends on his crutches, though, a cane might not be useful for him at all, but some people do use crutches as canes and/or canes as an alternative aid to crutches, temporarily or long-term.

Either way, since you aren't 100% sure on your character's disability, I put all those out there so you can consider them along with your decision.

Hope this helps,

mod sparrow

[wonderbutch]

just a reminder for my disabled followers and like. anyone else who wants to/needs to hear this:

you’re allowed to rely on and become dependant your mobility aid!! you’re allowed to become attached to it!! to use it even when your pain or mobility issues arent as bad. you can literally use it whenever you want!! its yours!! idc what ur parents and friends and peers tell you, its okay to be dependent on something that helps you.

[cpinmymind]

My hand

Sometimes my hand doesn’t want to do things. I think of it as my hand having a fit like a toddler or brat. When I have this happens my hand is having a “cramp” and is very stiff. It’s the spastic part of my CP. I take Gaba(pentin) when this happens and it gets better after a few moments. CP In My Mind/Lines & Roses | Instagram | Linktree Leave a comment Cancel reply Δ

[flowercrowncrip]

Being disabled is so expensive. I bought a teapot today because, well I like tea and drink a lot while I'm studying and hate breaking my flow to ask my carer for another cup of tea.

But I can't lift a heavy pot and can't control my movement well enough to avoid getting scalding hot liquid all over myself, so I have to buy a piece of equipment that will allow me to pour the tea from the pot. And it's not cheap

I could have bought another 5 teapots for the amount that this cost me. And, while it's functional, it's a pretty ugly off-white plastic thing.

[childoftimeandmagic]

I'm exhausted.

I'm exhausted of being a disabled part time chair user desperate for representation, who's repeatedly told within fan spaces "they're never gonna give us back Oracle so it doesn't matter or to get over it." By folks who are actively supporting the works that prevent Oracle from being used.

I'm exhausted from being repeatedly burned, belittled, denigrated, or patronised to by both authors and editorial, as a disabled fan.

I'm exhausted that there are officially ZERO chair using Superheroes left across both Major Comic companies.

I'm tired of having the few mobily disabled characters relegated to one issue or less, or 'being fixed' by their powers.

I'm tired of being told "well if you want x you need to support 5 first" as though giving money in support of 5 doesn't prove that x is unnecessary. I'm tired of accepting scraps of representation.

I'm exhausted of being regularly reminded that as much as I love comics - the comics industry does not love people like me.

The Birds of Prey was founded by a disabled chair bound female character as a covert team to help capitalise on the information that character found. It was her brain child, it was her choice, it was hers.

DC Comics and Comic Writers deciding the founder isn't important bc the writer just doesn't want to use her or "there's a plot reason why we aren't including her" is insulting. It screams of taking the easy way out, ignoring the roots of why this team has fans, of not wanting to deal with the nuances that come from having a disabled character on the page.

Birds of Prey is not the A-Force nor is it the Titans. It is Barbara Gordon's creation first & foremost.

[abluescarfonwaston]

Disabled Ema who uses her chair for the most part after aai cause fuck being in pain all the time I'm Soooooooo sorry my being visibly disabled upsets you I'm going to run over your toes so you have something proper to cry about going to crime scenes like 'idk man if you wanted your wife's murder solved you'd have made this place ada accessable - THERE WAS A PALLET JUST LEFT IN THE LIFT. WHY ARE THERE NO RAMPS.

Then she just grabs a thermos of coffee (?) Diego made her and munches on snackadoos until it's solved. If it takes a second day to investigate upstairs well hey. Hey Trucy wanna go be my eyes? Thx. The defense needs all the help it can get.

[brightorangerain]

Wheelchair/Mobility Accessibility Matters.

[youronlyirlmswvenable]

Another Random Thought By Stevie: When she was supposed to be getting ready for class tomorrow

It’s probably known, but not well known that I have a mobility disability paired with chronic nerve pain. I’m one of the magnificent, equally lovely, charming sexy, ladies.. 🙈 who use a cane. {We’re really living up to the Venable Vibes} However, {and I am not sure if it is the same for you beauties but I would love your insight} I’m sometimes stopped or asked why I wear heels when I have a disability. My first reaction is to balk and think; how ignorant and rude must you be to ask such a thing, and my second is- wow my practice must be working. Anyways this got me to pondering about Venable and how she is able to walk with her heels, (if she follows the same guidelines I made for myself after reading old Victorian and 1940’s books on manners and etiquette-) and if I could work this into my writing or somehow get all of you to think on this as well... (or if you’re a cane wielder, hopefully help you master the heels like I’m trying to do 🙈😅)

What I mean by practice is how I present myself and walk with my cane while wearing heels. Not a lot of people have to go about their day thinking about how to walk- they just go- but I have to refine myself. I take special care with my ever developing fluidity movement— (think of it like being your own movement coach/physical therapist) Now when you walk with a cane, depending on your disability, you never want to keep it at the side that’s weakess- but the opposite. You want to move your feet/weaker side in time with the cane. These steps are always deliberate but don’t try to make them overtly obvious, (stomping, treading, and the like) Anyways, your chin should remain parallel to the floor; never too high forward or too tucked in— you’re wearing a crown, Queen 😉. To help with this I try to imagine a strong connecting my chin to the tip of my toes. Your shoulders should be relaxed but not loose- keep them downwards and slightly back to elongate your neck and bring added height and steadiness to your upper body. The hips should be loose (in fact they should be the only body part that is loose) as to inform your body of the gliding motion. Finally what I found helps me a lot was to keep my gait planted- swaying slightly backwards into the heel, since most women walk with all of their weight in the toes/balls of their feet with the heels (it’s historically not the correct and most mannerous way to walk in heels) this provides a much needed support and evening out of my distributed weight. The motion of slightly pushing back/swaying/leaning into the heel is what I think ultimately makes people question my disability. But this little dip into manners and such actually helped me reduce pain with walking, and to learn how to properly walk and use a cane without forgoing or overusing my good side.

Alright so this is just a little rambling that is me trying to explain or theorize that perhaps this is what Wilhemina does when she walks. Heels are painful, and they’re far more so when you have a mobility disability- and since we know she adores the Victorian aesthetic I have a hunch that she would do the same thing. And there are some instances in AHS Apocalypse where we see Sarah actually following this technique. (I mean this could just be Sarah trying to be a boss bitch with a cane and walking how she normally walks but knowing her as we all do Sarah just doesn’t run with something she asks questions and redoes something over and over until it’s the way she interprets/believes her character of doing such an action as evident in that teeny bts of Ratched where she is opening and closing the car door multiple times)

Anyways thank you for coming to my ted talk I really have to finish packing for classes and then take to bed early.