Skiing and spinal trauma.

Spinal injury in skiers can either be acute or chronic. Acute spinal injury accounts for 3 to 3.6 per cent of all injuries occurring in Alpine skiing. Fewer acute injuries occur in cross-country skiing, and those that do usually are the result of a sudden, compressive force from a seated fall. The prevalence of chronic spinal trauma in skiing is unknown. Both cross-country and Alpine skiers appear to have greater complaints of mild to moderate low back pain as compared with their nonskiing counterparts. These differences may be the result of a complex interaction between recreational and occupational activities. Theoretical analyses suggest a risk for low-grade torsional injury to the Alpine skier's spine, whereas in cross-country skiing significant shear forces are applied to lumbar discs during the kick but not the double-poling phase.