With the skies opening up and snow slopes tempting winter sports enthusiasts, back injuries are something to be careful about this winter. While it is the more traumatic head or spinal chord injury that gets publicized, a knee or back injury is far more common.

A back injury is often very painful and keeps nagging for a long time to come. The best posture for skiing involves bending slightly forward with knees bent. This is naturally a stressful posture for the back. A sprained back can give you a sharp pain that needs immediate medical attention.

A fracture in the tailbone is even more serious and will need immediate evacuation. Recovery can take a long time and may need surgery in addition to medication and physiotherapy.

Losing your balance can result in a fall. Most skiers and skateboarders try to resist the fall, further straining the muscles and joints and risking injury. The best thing to do is to fall when you feel you are losing balance, of course when there are no rocks jutting out nearby.

Collisions are also a common cause of back injury. The thing to remind yourself is that you should keep within your limits, check the snow conditions, and listen to instructors and other skiers when they warn you about the dangers.