Low back pain in the adult population is a common and often costly condition. Athletes also experience low back pain. The lifetime prevalence for low back pain is up to 60% among some athletes. It has been my observation in the physical therapy setting that many alpine ski instructors suffer from low back pain. Published literature documents back pain among athletes participating in many sports. However, the prevalence of low back pain among alpine ski instructors has not been established. Surveys were mailed to 500 randomly selected members of the Professional Ski Instructors of America. The lifetime and point prevalences were determined by subjects’ report regarding history of low back pain and current low back pain. Two hundred seventy-two subjects (54%) of the sample responded to the survey. Two hundred-four subjects (75%) reported a history of low back pain. Eighty-five subjects (31%) reported current low back pain. A history of low back pain was reported most often among 41 to 50 year old subjects. The largest group with current low back pain was the 51 to 60 year old group. Seventy-six percent of the sample reported they had not missed any days of work due to low back pain. Nearly 8% of subjects with a history of back pain stated that they had missed ten or more days of work as a ski intructor because of low back pain. The lifetime prevalence of back pain among ski instructors in this survey was similar to the general population. The subjects reported more lifetime prevalence of back pain than athletes of many other sports. Lifetime prevalence of low back pain among the subjects in this survey was higher than among physical laborers such as bricklayers, carpenters, mechanics and machine operators. The high prevalence of back pain among alpine ski instructors may increase cost and decrease renevue for the employer. Prevention training in this population may decrease the prevalence of low back pain and lesson costs to the employer ad the alpine ski instructor.
