In the US, 400,000 teens are involved in cheerleading activities every year.
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“Although overall injury rates are relatively low, cheerleading injuries may be more severe when they do occur”, the researchers, from the Colorado School of Public Health and the University of Colorado, wrote in their study, published today (Dec. 10) in the journal Pediatrics.
Although 96.8 percent of the injured cheerleaders were girls, the overall injury rate was higher among boys.
But it’s not all fun and games.
Researchers collected data from the National High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance Study on rates of injury per athlete exposure (AE) from 2009-’14.
“These findings demonstrate that although cheerleading is relatively safe overall, when injuries do occur, they may be more severe”, Currie explained.
The statistics show rates of injuries as far lower than other sports, however researchers suggest some injuries to cheerleaders could be avoided with more awareness, according to a press release. This is the first study to assess injury rates in high school cheerleading relative to other sports. They found that, of all of the injuries from cheerleading, concussions were the most common, constituting 31 percent of the injuries.
So as cheerleaders climb to the top, a reminder that the sidelines can sometimes be more unsafe than the field. The researchers said that when it comes to competition, injury rate surges. Surgery was required for 4 percent of the injuries, mostly for fractures and sprains. Cheerleaders at the base of different formations also represented 46 percent of all injuries, with fliers coming in next at 36 percent and then spotters at 10 percent. “So I wouldn’t say I’m surprised… and the more important thing to point out is that concussion rates are still lower in cheerleading than other sports”.
While this study largely disproves that belief, the authors note that cheerleader injuries have increased and are often serious. These include using proper spotting techniques and making sure coaches are certified, she said. If cheerleading is considered a sport, girls will need to make it competitive and perform the most unsafe moves over and over again to keep it that way. Instead of considering the cheerleading a school activity, it should be taken as a sport, according to the research.
The majority of injuries occurred during stunts, often during dismounts.
“That may be because cheerleaders, due to the nature of the sport, are more likely to have falls from elevation – for example, flyers during stunts – or to land awkwardly or be struck by another athlete landing awkwardly – for example, bases during stunts”.
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The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators offers a glossary of cheerleading stunts and rules.
