First comes the imbalance ...
"Protect the rod ..."
.... followed by the inevitable *splat* and inquiry.
"Rod ... ok!
Arse ... embarassed, bruised ...
Rod ... still ok!"

The stick's are pain killers. You're so overcome with relief/grief that

it is undamaged/damaged that actual pain is banished to the background
for a time. I don't think it matters that you remember why you were
carrying
the stick, just as long as you recall that you shouldn't to break it.
:-)

Steve (The cheap one's don't work nearly as well)