title: Skiing and spinal trauma.
abstract: 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.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012865:Skiing; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy