Cheerleading Injuries

One of the unfortunate side effects of cheerleading can be injuries. In the early years of cheerleading, the sport was just that - leading the crowd in cheers with pom-poms and high kicks. But, as the years went on, cheerleaders and coaches realized that complex routines and stunts performed by the cheerleaders could even further entertain the crowds.

By some estimates, up to 16,000 cheerleaders suffer injuries each year. Those specializing in sports medicine say that, in the past few decades, the sport has become more and more dangerous. In fact, the sport saw an alarming increase in the number of cheerleaders who had to be taken to the emergency room between 1990 and 2002. What types of injuries can be incurred? Studies estimate that a little more than half of the injuries sustained by cheerleaders are strains and sprains. Around 18% are soft tissue injuries, 16% are fractures, almost 4% are lacerations/avulsions, and 3.5% are concussions/closed head injuries. But, the final 5.5% can be more serious. Cheerleader Bethany Hancock suffered torn ligaments which require two separate surgeries when she jumped and landed awkwardly on the marble floor of her high school hallway.

In fact, some have said that cheerleading is the most dangerous sport. Between 1987 and 2007, there were 103 high school cheerleading injuries that were fatal, disabling, or serious. The other most dangerous sports - gymnastics and track - paled in comparison with a total of 16 such injuries. One of the main sources of cheerleading injuries is pyramids, in which a cheerleader is on top of a two, three, or four person base.

College cheerleaders didn't fare much better during the same time frame. Of the 39 serious injuries that occurred, 26 were in cheerleading while three were in field hockey, two were in lacrosse, and two were in gymnastics. About a quarter of the insurance money spent by the NCAA Insurance program in 2005 went to cheerleader injuries.

Cheering can be dangerous, but there are precautions that can be taken to make is a safer sport. Dr. Sally Harris, a sports medicine and pediatric specialist at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, believes part of the problem lies in the fact that many still don't consider cheerleading a real sport. It often doesn't get the school support that other programs get, such as access to a trainer and appropriate facilities.

Dr. Harris advises parents to make sure their child has a physical before starting each cheerleading season. Parents should insist that cheerleading coaches be both experienced and certified, if possible. The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators offers a Spirit Safety Certification which covers cheerleading safety and risk management.