Hello all! I tend to be more of a lurker, but I've had something on my mind for a bit now & would really appreciate some advice. I'm 21NB, diagnosed in the last 6 months after several years of suspecting I had EDS (and the related deterioration of my body). Physically, I'm at the point now where even long periods of walking will put me out of commission for several days. I used to say my base pain threshold was a normal person's 4, but I think I'm at a 6 now. All this aside, I try to be in good spirits every day & manage the best I can. Most people don't realize how much I'm in pain & I'm lucky enough to not need any type of mobility aid (yet).

That being said, I'm in my last year of undergrad & have been preparing to be an Athletic Trainer. This semester I've been shadowing the ATs at a nearby university; aside from learning, my duties involve carrying around water bottles, folding towels, & the tiniest bit of heavy lifting. Practice days are a couple hours on my feet, but game days take up almost 10 hours with no real opportunities to sit. Technically the staff is aware of my accomodations, but I realized that there is no real logistical way to accomodate me during games. This plus seeing a new side of the field is causing me to reconsider my career. That's where you all come in...

Does anyone here have experience working in a field similar to athletic training? Could be PT, traditional medicine, anything that really requires long periods on your feet that's not easy on your body. My main goal is to protect my body for as long as I can, & I'd love to hear about anyone else's experiences with this

Thank you all so much!