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Back Pain in Alpine Ski Instructors

Back pain is common even among athletes. Alpine ski instructors are no exception. But how often does it happen? That's the subject of this research study. In fact it's the first time this information has ever been collected and reported.

Physical therapists sent out surveys to 500 members of the Professional Ski Instructors of America asking questions about back pain. They found out 75 percent of those who replied had a history of low back pain (LBP). This was about the same as for the general adult population. It's higher than for most other sports athletes. About 30 percent had back pain at the time of the survey. Many LBP injuries reported by the ski instructors weren't caused by skiing activities.

The therapists who conducted this study mention the high cost of LBP for this group. A ski instructor can make up to $400.00 in a single day. Sick leave is costly to both the employee and the employer. Better equipment and preventive training may be the answer.

Training programs to prevent knee injuries in ski instructors work well. Maybe a similar program for the spine would be a good idea.

References: Nola Peacock, MPT, DSc et al. Prevalence of Low Back Pain in Alpine Ski Instructors. In Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. February 2005. Vol. 35. No. 2. Pp. 106-110.

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