Question about physical work and POP

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Hi all,

For financial reasons I am having to consider a radical change to my work. I currently work 3 days a week in a fairly sedentry, though stressful advisory job. I am having to consider returning to special needs teaching full-time and am worried about the possible consequences (or not) for my rectocele. The job would involve being on my feet a lot of the day and probably lifting of equipment and children to a degree, pushing wheelchairs etc. Any advice from those experienced with living with this would be very welcome.

Pollyanna

If the UK is like Australia, rectocele and the need to be careful with lifting, would be a legitimate disability, for which an employer cannot legally discriminate against you. However, they can decide not to employ you in the first place, and say it is for a different reason. However, hopefully they will be employing you for more than your brawn!

If you go into it and don't tell them, then you have no grounds for needing to modify the way you go about your work, or refusing to do certain tasks. If you can negotiate some concessions, or be assured that, within limits, you may need to do physical tasks slower or in a different way from standard, then why not give it a go? You can only fail. The sky is not going to fall!

I have found that POP doesn't limit me physically because I am able to set my own work pace, and take my time doing heavy tasks, which enables me to monitor my discomfort, rearrange my working environment, and use mechanical aids. This may not be realistic in a classroom.

What do you have to lose? Try it part time first.

Louise

I don't think in the UK it would be a disability, so you wouldn't be covered under the Equalities Act.

But, once you find a job that you are offered, you could talk to your employer before accepting and let them know & see what the response is. if you aren't comfortable explaining, you might be able to say it is a pelvis problem if they don't ask specifics...but you reliant on their being willing to take it into consideration.

pushing wheelchairs-- you could do that in WW posture and I think could be ok, but you'd need to experiment. i have no idea how easily they move. i can push our fabulous three wheel buggy with very heavy child in it, as it moves easily. i can't push a light one with small wheels as they don't move with heavy kids... how easily does a wheelchair move? can you try it out at your own pace ahead of time? lifting children could be trickier, especially as they can move about unpredictably. make sure to stay in posture, and see what works best for you. i guess you'd have to experiment.

but i'd say the main thing is to communicate and talk to people re the problem, however you choose to describe it. then see from there...

Hi Louise

Unfortunately I may not be in a position to try part-time as I will have to apply for whatever is going. Financially I really need to be working full time and earning a good income. My current job could well be under threat due to the cuts being made in Local Authorities, and even if it isn't I need to work more than 3 days a week. My health problems have come at such a bad time, it is stressing me a lot, which I know is not good. If we don't sort our financial situation out our house could be under threat, so this is serious. I'm worried about being honest when aplying for jobs as it is going to be hard enough to get a job in my circumstances anyway - I've been out of teaching for some years, mainly due to raising my son who has a disability and is now 16. Although the job I do is still with children with special needs it is not working directly with the children.

I was hoping against hope that doing physical work would not have that much of an impact on the rectocele whilst knowing from what I have read that was unlikely. I need a miracle!

Pollyanna :(

Thanks kiki,

I'm in such a difficult position I don't know what to do. I need to earn more than I am now and the only viable way I can see to do that is to return to teaching but the type of teaching I am qualified to do and experienced in is going to be bad for my health. I have pushed a wheelchair along the flat since the rectocele, but not uphill. All the classes have at least one TA in them so most lifting can be done in pairs, but it is a very physically demanding job. there are some types of special schools with less physically disabled children, but I have less experienceof that type of teaching. As I said to Louise - I need a miracle which aint going to happen.

Pollyanna :(

I find that pushing trolleys, lawnmowers etc is easiest if I stand up really close, and push it at sacrum level, across my belly, using my thigh muscles a lot. Many people like to push with the arms, while in posture, but I feel stronger and more stable doing it my way.

You might be able to make up some sort of bar that slips over the handles, that you can push at sacrum level, which is your approximate centre of gravity, so it is logical.