The Abscence of Medicine
Perhaps the most reasonable explanation for Duster's limp is a birth defect. And while it may be simple enough to dismiss such a statement as an uneducated guess, there are a couple of reasons why this may be possible.
Observe the state of Tazmily prior to the Pigmask invasion. Technology in the village was relatively simple, comparable to a 19th century rural community with a few exceptions. The absence of modern-day technology also leads to the absence of modern medicine.
Modern medicine would allow such things as prosthetics, drugs, pain killers, and advanced corrective surgery available to those born with impairing defects. But because these conventions are absent from Tazmily, Duster most likely had little more than crude physical therapy to help him cope through his childhood. He most likely had to improvise and "wing it" in his disability, eventually learning to cope with it and develop a near-normal proficiency with that limb.
In this, it is feasible to rule out his limp being the result of a recent injury. Had he suffered such an incident say, five years ago, he would not be able to use his legs in battle as well as he does during the events of the game. Duster's ability to kick and deal reasonable damage signifies that he has learned to do so over a number of years. This also extends to his running skill, which is that of a normal person.
While it is possible that the limp could have been from an injury much longer ago, the lack of modern medicine would have prevented him from recovering to the state he is in during Mother 3. He would have eventually worsened, perhaps to the point of crippling. The only other available means of healing would be PSI, which was arguably not available (The Magypsies only appear to have the power to unlock it, and Kumatora was not alive at the time).
As such, a birth defect seems like the best possible explanation, because there were so few options available to him otherwise.
Perhaps the most reasonable explanation for Duster's limp is a birth defect. And while it may be simple enough to dismiss such a statement as an uneducated guess, there are a couple of reasons why this may be possible.
Observe the state of Tazmily prior to the Pigmask invasion. Technology in the village was relatively simple, comparable to a 19th century rural community with a few exceptions. The absence of modern-day technology also leads to the absence of modern medicine.
Modern medicine would allow such things as prosthetics, drugs, pain killers, and advanced corrective surgery available to those born with impairing defects. But because these conventions are absent from Tazmily, Duster most likely had little more than crude physical therapy to help him cope through his childhood. He most likely had to improvise and "wing it" in his disability, eventually learning to cope with it and develop a near-normal proficiency with that limb.
In this, it is feasible to rule out his limp being the result of a recent injury. Had he suffered such an incident say, five years ago, he would not be able to use his legs in battle as well as he does during the events of the game. Duster's ability to kick and deal reasonable damage signifies that he has learned to do so over a number of years. This also extends to his running skill, which is that of a normal person.
While it is possible that the limp could have been from an injury much longer ago, the lack of modern medicine would have prevented him from recovering to the state he is in during Mother 3. He would have eventually worsened, perhaps to the point of crippling. The only other available means of healing would be PSI, which was arguably not available (The Magypsies only appear to have the power to unlock it, and Kumatora was not alive at the time).
As such, a birth defect seems like the best possible explanation, because there were so few options available to him otherwise.
