Teachers and daycare providers don’t get a lot of the recognition they deserve. They are working hard to keep kids safe and help them learn valuable skills that can help them throughout life. However, most people don’t realize just how hazardous teaching is as a profession.
Teachers face a host of on-the-job dangers, such as exposure to communicable disease and the risk of violence in the workplace — but some of the most common problems teachers face can be related to cumulative trauma, or repetitive stress injuries.
Cumulative trauma injuries come in many forms
Those who teach younger children may have to bend and stoop often. This can lead to cumulative trauma injuries in their spines that can cause considerable pain. With cumulative trauma, the damage creeps up slowly: There usually isn’t one event that can be pinpointed for the cause of the injury. Instead, the victim may simply gradually become less and less capable of coping with the physical demands of the job and suffer more and more pain.
Cumulative trauma injuries cause pain that starts out as a nuisance. As the damage grows, the pain gets worse. It’s possible that extensive medical care will be necessary by the time the victim realizes there is a problem. This can mean that a teacher may also need significant time off work for their recovery, along with physical or occupational therapy.
If you’ve suffered a cumulative trauma injury at work, take action
Any individual who works with children and who suffers a work-related injury, including back pain, should seek out medical care. Workers’ compensation coverage takes care of the cost of medical care and may provide other benefits, such as partial wage replacement. It’s imperative that you understand what benefits you should receive from workers’ compensation. An attorney can help you fight for what you’re due.
