Back protectors for children – always a good idea?
9/1/2023
Translation: Veronica Bielawski
Wearing a helmet on the slopes is a matter of course for most people. But what about back protectors? An expert on winter sports accidents gives us the lowdown.
These days, I’ve been excitedly consulting my weather app on the daily. Why, you ask? In our canton, school sport holidays start earlier than anywhere else in Switzerland. My family and I will be packing up our skiing gear and charging into the mountains at the end of January. Mind you, if you’ve seen any photos of lower-altitude resorts – think rolling brown hillsides – you’re probably less than thrilled by the prospect of strapping on your skis or snowboard. But hope springs eternal! We’ve got just under three weeks left for it to start snowing.
The expert says: «Avoid taking kids on slopes that encourage excessive speeding»
Here’s the thing: my kids love whizzing down the slopes on their own. And, like most children, they enjoy taking little detours through the small wooded areas bordering the piste. Hence, I’ve been toying with the idea of getting them back protectors for the first time this year. For years now, I’ve been wearing one myself, for the most part. Fortunately, I’ve never had a skiing accident. But the protector makes me feel more confident and, above all, safer.
Would it be a good idea to get my kids back protectors, too? I’m sceptical for several reasons. First, children grow out of protectors quickly. Second, my kids aren’t what you’d call terrors on the slopes. That’s to say, they go down the hill with caution. So, what could really go wrong? Third, back protectors aren’t exactly cheap. On the other hand, I’m certainly not the only one who has the occasional worst-case scenario flash through my mind, like a blazing bomber bashing into my child, potentially injuring them gravely.
Because I’m conflicted, I decide to ask Samuli Aegerter, campaign leader for winter sports at the Swiss accident insurance company Suva. He has children the same age as mine. «I also have kids. Of course, I’m always thinking about how to protect them from skiing accidents, too,» says the expert on winter sports. The primary goal, he explains, is to prevent accidents and injuries from happening in the first place. According to him, it’s paramount to choose slopes that suit the child’s skiing level. «Of course, that’s not always possible – for example, in the case of a descent into the valley,» says Aegerter. It also makes sense to ski with kids on slopes that don’t encourage adults to ski fast. «When I’m out with my kids, we also try to pick slopes or runs where we’ve got a good overview of the terrain and where there tend to be fewer people.» It’s also important to discuss the risks and dangers with your children. «For example, the classic scenario: you shouldn’t stop after a summit where approaching people can only see you once it’s too late,» says Aegerter.
Back protectors also protect against cuts and punctures
For important accident prevention tips, visit the Suva website (link in German). But even if you take all precautions, skiing and snowboarding accidents happen. Does it make sense to always wear a back protector on the slopes – especially for children? «Protective equipment such as helmets or back armour can protect you against certain injuries or at least lessen the effects of the accident,» Aegerter says. According to him, back protectors primarily protect you against impact injuries and blows in the event of a fall. «And they can prevent puncture wounds or cuts caused by the edges of another ski.» In addition, the protectors help keep your torso warm, which also reduces the risk of injury. «On the other hand, protectors won’t protect you from sprains or twists of the spine.»
In snow parks, of all places, children should always wear a back protector
As a result, Samuli Aegerter advises the following: «I recommend wearing a back protector whenever you go to a snow park, because it offers effective protection if you hit hard elements with your back.» Aegerter also recommends that children who are part of a racing group and train with slalom poles on hard slopes wear a back protector. «But if you’re leisurely going down the slopes with your kids in good visibility, wearing a back protector isn’t a must.» What if a rogue skier crashes into my child? «Fortunately, this doesn’t happen very often. Only one in ten crashes is due to a collision.» In other words, most of the time, we’re dealing with self-inflicted accidents. There’s one more fact I find somewhat reassuring: only 14 per cent of skiing accidents involve the torso, back, buttocks or spine (for snowboarding, the figure is 24 per cent).
62,000 skiing and snowboarding accidents each year
But there’s another statistic that baffles me: in recent years, an average of almost 27,000 skiing accidents, 5,700 snowboarding accidents and just over 3,000 sledding accidents have been recorded. This resulted in annual costs of over 300 million Swiss francs. «However, these figures only count people covered by accident insurance as employees, so the actual number of winter sports accidents is much higher,» emphasises Samuli Aegerter. The Swiss Council for Accident Prevention (BFU) estimates that 62,000 accidents occur each year. This figure has remained fairly constant in recent years. «But given more people are joining in winter sports, the relative number of accidents has actually decreased,» Aegerter explains. On the other hand, the number of serious injuries has reportedly increased – despite the fact that around 90 per cent of winter sports enthusiasts wear a helmet. «There are several reasons for this. For one, the newest generation of skis allows you to reach much higher speeds than before. In addition, the ground has become much harder due to artificial snow being used more frequently and in larger quantities.»
What’s a few francs when it’s your health on the line?
I can’t yet say for sure if I’ll buy my kids back protectors. I’m inclined to say I will, though. After all, what’s a few francs if it means reducing the risk of a back injury? Mind you, all these considerations are secondary this year so long as real winter hasn’t arrived. It’d be a real shame if our ski holidays were rained off, as my eight- and ten-year-old are at the stage where they’ll go down just about any slope. All that effort and money spent on ski school down the drain . . .
Cover photo: Shutterstock
Martin Rupf
Senior Editor
martin.rupf@digitecgalaxus.chHalf-Danish dad of two and third child of the family, mushroom picker, angler, dedicated public viewer and world champion of putting my foot in it.