Hello I've reached a snag in my story, i have a character who is about fourty and I want him to have a limp and I want him to use a walking stick/cane but what reasons would someone have to have a limp and need a cane ? I had considered making him ex army but it doesn't fit his character. any help would be great
You needn't even go as far as all that. Simple sciatica would do in a pinch. Trust me. I'm 43 and I can draw for you exactly where my sciatic nerve runs without need of a Grey's Anatomy. It makes its presence only too well known.
A knee or hip injury that never healed properly. Could be from skiing, football, a fall down a flight of stairs, icy sidewalk, even early onset arthritis or a stroke. And that's just one set of possibilities. Not much of a snag at all.
A lot of people use a cane for balance. It doesn't have to be for support. http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/using-a-cane-topic-overview
I had a cane for a while because of a hip injury and I see people with knee problems who have canes. It comes down to having an instability or a weakness and a desire not to fall or cause more pain than neccessary.
I think you have two basic options. An accident or a disease. Each will have it's own story potential. So I guess it's down to what you intend to do with your character, and what kind of emotional baggage he might be carrying into your story.
a limp can be caused by many things... it's your choice: injury genetic flaw arthritis hip/back prob foot blister old age drunkenness vertigo
During prohibition, many "walking sticks" came with an ornamental hand grip, that unscrews to reveal a glass flask for alcohol hidden inside the cane. During the Victorian era, the "Sword Cane" was a very popular fashion accessory. In addition to the reasons listed in previous posts, someone may use a cane for a fashion prop or walk with a limp just to "get attention" when there is really nothing wrong with them.
A shattered kneecap and torn ligaments would do the trick. Source: I'm 27 and walk with a cane after four surgeries on my right knee due to a knee injury sustained during a rappelling accident.
Is is possible that he could've injured himself specifically so that he could give himself a limp that would justify a (weapon concealed within a) cane?
As has been stated, there are multitudes of possibilities. It depends on whether you want to make the cause a part of the story, or whether you just need the limp itself as an element in the story (in which case it could be very simple -- being born with one leg longer than the other, or an unremarkable accident of falling down the stairs at one point, or arthritis, etc.) The accident doesn't have to be anything spectacular -- it could be a car accident while going to the grocery store or a simple fall while walking outside. It doesn't even have to be as dramatic as skiing or football if you don't want it to be.
