Dangers of Cheerleading

Prevention is B-E-S-T when it comes to avoiding common cheerleading injuries

If you had to name the top 20 most dangerous sports, which would you include? Hockey, lacrosse and football probably would make the list, but what about cheerleading?

Believe it or not, cheerleading injuries are on the rise due to complex stunts and gymnastic-like maneuvers. In fact, one study ranked cheerleading 16th on a list of sports with the highest number of injuries. And while competitive cheer has a lower rate of injury than most other high-school sports, research shows injuries tend to be more severe when they do occur.

“Today’s cheerleading is an exciting and physically intense sport that blends dance, gymnastics and acrobatics,” says Hans Olsen IV, MD, a sports medicine orthopaedic surgeon at Geisinger. “But unfortunately, with this demand for intense athleticism and high-level skills come an increased risk for injuries.”

Don’t let the pom-poms fool you. Understanding the risks involved and ways to reduce them will help keep your cheerleader safe — and the cheer squad in the game.

What are the dangers of cheerleading?

In recent decades, cheerleading has evolved from its traditional form into a highly competitive sport featuring complex stunts, tumbling and detailed choreography.

“Parents may remember what cheerleading was like when they were in high school, where cheerleaders merely rooted for a team,” says Dr. Olsen. “But with the introduction of competitive cheer, the sport has gone from a sideline activity to an intense sport in its own right.”

While intense gymnastic and dance routines account for most of the injuries, there is another problem, too. Since many organizations still don’t consider cheerleading a sport, it doesn’t have to follow consistent safety regulations.

4 common cheerleading injuries

Cheerleading involves high-risk stunts and pyramids, where kids are often lifted or thrown into the air. The combination of physical exertion, height and precise timing can lead to severe cheerleading injuries if not executed correctly — and can sideline your cheerleader for weeks, months or even an entire season.

“Sprains and fractures are the most frequent injuries in cheerleading,” says Dr. Olsen. “Sprains occur when ligaments are overstretched or torn, and mild sprains involve rest and self-care at home, while more severe ones can require physical therapy or surgery. Bone breaks need medical intervention for proper healing.”

Ankle injuries

Cheerleading routines, especially those in competitive cheer, include lots of running, jumping and flipping. And ankle injuries are particularly frequent, often caused by awkward landings after jumps or stunts. Plus, practicing these routines multiple times a week can put stress on kids’ ankles, leading to sprains and breaks.

“This is a problem for kids who are still growing,” says Dr. Olsen. “Young children’s bones aren’t fully formed at the joints, making them more susceptible to injury.”

On average, a sprain may heal in 6 weeks. But more serious injuries, such as a broken bone or torn ligament, may require surgery, which could sideline your cheerleader for months.

Knee injuries

Landing a tumbling pass or jumping down from a pyramid doesn’t just put stress on ankles. It affects your knees, too. If you don’t land squarely on your feet, you can strain and tear the ligaments in the knee, such as the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial collateral ligament (MCL) or meniscus. Sharp directional changes and sudden stops can cause knee injuries, too.

Minor ligament sprains can heal in as little as 4 weeks, but severe sprains and tears may require surgery. These injuries can take from 6 months to a year or more to fully recover and may have longer-term consequences.

Wrist injuries

When you fall, your first instinct is to catch yourself with your hands. While it protects your head, it can do serious damage to your wrist. If you fall too hard on your wrist or land improperly from a stunt, you risk spraining, dislocating or breaking it.

While wrist injuries may not be season-ending, they can severely limit which activities your child can participate in. The healing time for wrist injuries may take weeks to months.

Concussions and other head injuries

Because of the emphasis on gymnastics, cheerleading has become a competitive high-contact sport.

“Concussions are one of the most common injuries for cheerleaders. They typically occur due to falls or collisions during routines,” says Dr. Olsen. “Some schools have actually seen more concussions on the cheerleading squads than football or soccer teams.”

Studies show that cheerleaders at the base of stunts are at the highest risk for concussions because other kids can fall on them. Flyers, or those at the top of stunts, are also at risk for concussions.

Concussions are a serious injury that carry potential for long-term problems. If your child is showing signs of concussion, such as confusion, dizziness, headache or unequal pupil size, see a doctor immediately. Children should not return to playing sports until the concussion has completely healed and they’re cleared by a doctor.

How to respond to a cheerleading injury

For mild strains and sprains, follow the RICE method:

Rest the injured area to prevent further damage.
Ice it for 15 – 20 minutes at a time, several times a day, to decrease swelling.
Compression bandages can be used to support the injury.
Elevate the injured limb above the heart to reduce swelling.

Monitor your cheerleader’s condition closely and seek medical attention if severe pain and swelling persists, or your child can’t bear weight on it after 48 hours.

For head injuries, fractures and other severe injuries, head straight to the nearest emergency room.

How to prevent cheerleading injuries

As with most activities, prevention is the best medicine. Besides performance accidents, lack of proper equipment, poor training and conditioning, and inadequate coach supervision are common causes for a high injury rate.

Dr. Olsen offers 5 tips to help keep your cheerleader safe:

Warm up and stretch: Warming up with dynamic stretches before cheerleading practice, games and competition increases blood flow, loosens muscles and reduces injury risk.
Incorporate conditioning: Regular strength training and conditioning builds muscle and flexibility that not only enhances performance, but also reduces the likelihood of strains and sprains to the ankles, wrists and knees.
Use proper equipment: Cheerleaders should wear sneakers that support their feet and ankles, and wrist guards and knee braces if necessary. Also, mats should always be used during practice sessions and as much as possible during competitions.
Use proper training: Training with a qualified coach is critical, and training with a certified coach is encouraged. Coaches should emphasize safety by prioritizing proper technique and body alignment, and incorporating spotting and consistent supervision.
Emphasize rest: Complicated stunts, tumbling passes and jumps take countless hours to perfect, and the repetition puts stress on many parts of the body. Rest gives your body a chance to heal and grow stronger.

Most injuries occur near the end of practice — when kids are tired. Cheerleaders should not attempt a stunt if they are tired, injured or ill, as this may disrupt their focus.

“Encourage your child to say no to things they aren’t comfortable with,” says Dr. Olsen. “If a stunt feels too dangerous or if their teammates don’t take their safety seriously, they should talk to the coach. It’s better to be cautious and avoid risky stunts than to deal with the injuries.”