Do You Need to Wear a Back Protector For Skiing

As with nearly all sports, skiing does come with it’s own element of danger. There are plenty of patches of solid ice, hidden rocks and objects below the snow that can quickly make a fall not quite as fun. Take into account the high speeds you can pick up, and it is really worth considering whether you are wearing adequate protection.

From a study carried out over a season in Sweden, the most common injuries seen in skiers were knee-related, and snowboarders were shoulder and upper arm related. However, out of all ski injuries, 4% were back-related, with this increasing to 7% for snowboarders. It is important to consider that a back injury is more likely to be serious and potentially life-changing.

Any downsides to wearing a back protector are fairly minor. The most common complaints come from them being bulky, or uncomfortable on chairlifts. There are a few ways of resolving this, the most important being to ensure that the protector fits your correctly. There is also the option to choose from a hard shell or soft shell protector, with the later typically being lower profile. However, if you purchase a protector that fits you well and offers the right protection for you, then you shouldn’t have any problems.