# What is the name for my condition?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-my-condition/731795>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 19, 2015, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-my-condition/731795 "2015-09-19T16:56:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2015, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-my-condition/731795/1 "2015-09-19T16:56:28Z")

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I am scheduled to have a hip replacement surgery on the 5th of next month. In the meantime, my right leg is 2 inches shorter than my left leg, and I have to use a cane or a walker or some sort of support to make my way across a room. Or from my front door to my car, for that matter.

So: am I crippled, or am I lame?

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**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2015, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-my-condition/731795/2 "2015-09-19T21:54:31Z")

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I’d go with [short leg syndrome](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6536410)

some other actual diagnoses are: difficulty walking, gait abnormality, degenerative joint disease.

If you are looking for a adjective, lame seems accurate. I know a lot of old people who would say you are “stove up.”

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**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2015, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-my-condition/731795/3 "2015-09-19T22:07:44Z")

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Crippled implies something permanent, so on the assumption that your surgery goes well and sorts it all out (best of luck, by the way), “lame” is closer; but “temporarily hindered” might also do.

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**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2015, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-my-condition/731795/4 "2015-09-20T21:56:51Z")

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‘Lame’ is more specific - unable to walk in a normal manner.

‘Crippled’ simply means ‘physically handicapped’ missing a hand or being deaf are also ‘crippled’, but not lame.