In recent years, several Swedish national team skiers have suffered serious back injuries. Sweden is more affected than other ski nations. Now activists, leaders and doctors are warning that something must be done: - I call for an investigation into why it has happened like this, says Jens Burman, who himself got a herniated disc.

In addition to Burman, national team colleagues Viktor Thorn, Hanna Falk and Mia Eriksson have also had confirmed herniated discs.

Moa Molander Kristiansen also has problems with the disks and told Expressen this week that her career is in danger.

According to TT's information, several other Swedish elite skiers also suffer from recurring back pain.

National team doctor Per "Pliggen" Andersson confirms that Sweden seems to be harder hit by this type of injury compared to other top nations.

- It is healthy individuals who get problems in a certain place in the lumbar spine.

It may be something in the Swedish training environment that is the reason for this and we must find that reason.

At the same time, the challenge is that you have to train hard to be able to go fast, but do it the right way, says Andersson.

Comeback this weekend

Olympic and World Cup skier Jens Burman underwent surgery for a herniated disc in the spring of 2019 and was able to complete the season.

But last fall, the problems came back.

After rest and calmer training, he is now pain-free and will make his World Cup comeback this weekend in Lahti.

- I have thought a lot about why we in Sweden have been hit so hard.

I have not heard that many skiers from other nations have these problems.

In Norway, for example, I have only heard that Martin Johnsrud Sundby has similar problems.

Something is wrong.

Then it would be good to have an investigation into the cause, says Burman.

Trained for three hours

Burman believes that his own problems are due to the wrong training approach.

- In the summer when the problems arose, I could, for example, have running training for three hours in the morning, strength training in the afternoon followed by two hours of pole training.

In total, I ran three strength sessions a week.

It became too much, he says.

When Per "Pliggen" Andersson hears this, he nods in confirmation and says:

- Here we have individuals who have started with strength training at a later age and have not received the right technique in strength training.

You must be rested before a strength workout.

Tired muscles do not cope with the posture required during a strength workout.

"Just more theories"

Andersson says that the national team management together with the medical team looked at the question, but did not come to a clear answer as to why so many Swedish skiers have been affected.

- Now there are only several theories.

Today we have a completely different skiing compared to Gunde Svan's time.

It's more staking, more explosive elements combined with endurance, speed and strength training.

It is a huge challenge to cope with that combination and we must introduce training that prevents the riders from breaking down.

- Now we look at this and make a more thorough investigation of how we should solve this.

But it is a complex question without any simple answers.

"Higher speeds"

National team coach Anders Högberg:

- My theory is that today there are higher speeds, more impulses and sprints from an early age.

You are high up in the body to create force in the stacking and then the breaking point in the body is loaded again and again.

Then it is important to be strong in the stomach and back.

I think that the back problems start when the skiers go to the ski high schools and then develop at senior age, says Högberg.

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The national ski team is calling for an investigation into the back problems

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