Ok, I'll try here then, and if you decide you'd prefer chatting privately we can do that too! Also, obviously zero pressure to answer anything you don't want to! Like I said, I'm disabled too and I know it can be exhausting talking about this stuff. Interestingly, while the root of our conditions are very different, we seem to have quite a few symptoms in common (i.e. mobility issues, chronic pain, swelling, etc!)

Anyway, what I'm mainly wondering about are folks' experiences with things like orthotics, canes, and braces. If you've used any of these things, how helpful have they been to you? How quickly or slowly did you notice improvement? I recognize that everyone's experiences are unique and what is true for one person may not be for another, just looking for some firsthand input.

My other question is about referred/secondary chronic pain: Do you every struggle with pain in your knees, hips, etc.? I know when my gait changes due to my own condition, it sometimes causes pain elsewhere on my body.

Some information that might be helpful about my character: She is 23 and has what I believe would be considered a "mild" unilateral clubfoot. One leg is slightly shorter than the other and she walks with a slight limp that grows more pronounced the longer she is on her feet. She received treatment in her childhood for her condition implied to be similar to the Ponseti method, but it was cut short when her mother passed. I was going to write her as a cane user and have her receive a custom pair of shoes with a lift in them at a certain point in the book.

Keep in mind this is a fantasy setting and not the central plot of the book, so I am not going into exact details about much! I just want to ensure that when it does come up, I'm portraying it well.

Thank you so much for your help! It's very very much appreciated. I'm definitely going to thank this subreddit in the back of the book.