Bewildered, of Accrington

On the bus I couldn't help noticing the astonishing number of people who had walking-sticks, or were on mobility devices. Why should our area have such a high proportion of citizens who can't or won't walk? Is there something in the local gene pool that causes this? Is there a strange sort of Siamese Twin here, where one half is human and the other half is stick, and they both grow up permanently attached to each other? Or is it a psychological dependence on something to lean on? I'm completely baffled. I'd love to know what's causing it.