Wheelchair/Cane?

Cswigart

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jun 30, 2020
Without sharing too much info...last year I had a microdiscetomy. As of right now my lower back is experiencing pain, not to mention pain in my hips, residual pain down one leg and painful feet. I'm working on losing weight and walking, and while that may help my hips have been painful for a while. Do you think, with the amount of walking I might need a wheelchair or a cane? I'm trying to make this trip as easiest on my body as possible.
 
Without sharing too much info...last year I had a microdiscetomy. As of right now my lower back is experiencing pain, not to mention pain in my hips, residual pain down one leg and painful feet. I'm working on losing weight and walking, and while that may help my hips have been painful for a while. Do you think, with the amount of walking I might need a wheelchair or a cane? I'm trying to make this trip as easiest on my body as possible.
I find both help me when I have needed. I used a chair to cover the big distances and the cane for helping in and out of the rides. cane was very helpful with balancing getting in and out esp with the moving ramps and stepping out of the boat type rides for me
 
Hi, Cswigart

Without sharing too much info...last year I had a microdiscetomy. As of right now my lower back is experiencing pain, not to mention pain in my hips, residual pain down one leg and painful feet. I'm working on losing weight and walking, and while that may help my hips have been painful for a while. Do you think, with the amount of walking I might need a wheelchair or a cane? I'm trying to make this trip as easiest on my body as possible.

I also use a wheelchair and carry a walking cane.

You might even consider a walker with wheels with a built-in seat.
 
Your day will be much more pleasant in a wheel chair. I sometimes bring my own, but if it's a quick trip and I don't want to take up that much of the car, have rented one of theirs as well. If you decide to rent, I recommend getting one for at least 2 days. You can use the extra days on any future trip, but multiple days, even just two, are less per day than a single day. I have endurance issues from an old foot injury. Day 1, and even 2, can be fine, but I get more and more limited. The rental ones aren't as comfy, but it also doesn't matter if they get rained on, and you don't have to lug them in and out of the trunk. For the benefit of the person pushing, AK is the least wheelchair friendly park. LOTS of "always going uphill" complaints from the driver ...
 
Walker with wheels plus seat = rolls for (for ease of search purposes).

Just be careful if/when you sit down on that type of walker. As I was warned and found out the hard way (when I forgot the warning), even with the brakes on, the walker can roll out from under you. Your safest bet when you sit is to back the walker up against something before you sit down (like a wall) so that it won't roll.
 


I bought my own ECV because of this same thing - I only use it at Disney and it’s been a lifesaver!
 
Rent a scooter and bring your cane. This is not the time to worry about how you look or what people think about you. I had a TKR late last year. We were at WDW in October and November about a month before scheduled surgery - in fact my surgeons insisted we all go. I was in agony when walking and rented a scooter at all the parks and DS. My son and husband pushed me around the parking lots from HA parking to the rental desk.

When my son and DIL are at WDW they walk an average of 10-15 miles each day! In our younger years, we joked we walked 20 miles a day and probably did. Even someone going at half their speed is doing 5-8 miles at parks.

I am still relearning how to walk and will likely have to use a scooter at the parks but possibly not at DS in the future. My son is a DPT and insists I'm doing well, but not to be a hero! Great advice!
 
A wheelchair is fine - if you have someone you know can push you at WDW. Most people who do not use a manual wheelchair in their daily lives are lucky to get through *1* day at WDW before their arms, hands and shoulders feel like they have been through the wringer. Don't make more pain and stress for yourself - it's supposed to be your vacation!

There are *lots* of people - I would wager easily half of the people you will see using an ECV (scooter) at WDW don't use one in their daily life at home. The average Guest at WDW will walk between 3 and 10 miles *per day* - so please don't hesitate to use the best possible tool to give yourself the best possible vacation.

And Rollators can be a great middle ground, but if all you have access to is a manual wheelchair, you can always use it like a Rollator - open it, and then walk behind it, pushing it, so that you have support for walking, and a seat when needed.
 

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