Cheerleaders used to root other athletes on to victory — firing the crowd up and rallying it behind the athletes on the field or court. Creating excitement, largely on the sidelines, cheer squads were never the main event.
Today, cheerleading is a competitive sport in its own right. It is typically a year-round activity with cheerleaders practicing and performing as much, if not more, than other sports to perfect the gymnastic skills cheering requires.
Cheer gyms train elite squads that travel all over the country. The teams perform routines that require great skill and stunting ability. They exhibit strength, artistry, and power.
The evolution from pom-poms and saddle shoes to basket tosses and complex formations in the air has raised the sport’s profile along with its popularity. The potential for serious injuries has increased as well.
Here are some of the most common cheerleading injuries and how to prevent them.
Does Cheerleading Have a High Injury Rate?
Cheerleaders are prone to injuries from head to toe. Cheerleading consistently ranks as one of the sports with the highest number of injuries — with concussions among them.
The risk for concussions has been steadily increasing, even though the sport’s overall injury rate has decreased.
What’s the Most Common Cheerleading Injury?
Cheer routines make it common to land awkwardly, causing the sprains and strains that account for more than half of all cheerleading injuries. While ankle sprains are most common, knee, wrist, neck, and back sprains are frequent.
Jumping, too, can cause impact injuries to the ankles and knees. Gymnastic tumbling, such as backflips, layouts, and twists also can lead to head, knee, ankle, and wrist injuries when they’re performed incorrectly.
Intense stunting, which includes holding other athletes high in the air and high-flying basket tosses, makes falls and corresponding joint injuries, broken bones, and concussions a risk of the sport.
Concussions in Cheerleading
Concussions are increasingly more common in cheerleading. Basket tosses send flyers 20 feet in the air. When all goes well, the flyer lands safely in the arms of their teammates. But falls do happen, with the potential of flyers landing on the floor with serious consequences.
If a cheerleader suffers a fall during a gymnastics stunt, gets dropped from a mount, or suffers a forceful bump or blow to the head or body, they are at risk for concussion.
Signs of concussion include:
- Blurred or double vision.
- Coordination or balance issues.
- Dizziness.
- Headache.
- Light and noise sensitivity.
- Memory or concentration problems.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Sluggishness.
Cheerleading accounts for 65% of all catastrophic injuries, which are defined as severe spinal, spinal cord, or cerebral injuries occurring in female athletes.
If you think your child may have suffered a concussion, it is important they receive medical attention immediately. Remember that no two concussions are the same and having a customized concussion treatment plan will help with the recovery process.
Services such as ImPACT® testing allow for better concussion management. Consider having your child take a concussion baseline test before their sports season.
How Can Coaches Help Prevent Cheer Injuries?
Cheerleading stunts are difficult, but there is a way to perform them more safely. Some teams reduce the number of stunts that cheerleaders can perform during games. Others take steps to strengthen their athletes and keep them safe.
For example, safe practice places help in injury prevention. Many injuries happen during practice, so working on spring floors or thick mats is the best way to learn new tricks. It is best to avoid practicing on hard or uneven surfaces like poorly maintained football fields.
Qualified coaches should always be at practices to critique form and administer aid if an injury occurs. Here are some other ways coaches are key in injury prevention:
- Monitor skill progression. It’s fun to make progress and cultivate new skills for routines, but they take time to master. Slow and steady is the way to go. Also use mats for any new jumping or throwing skills. Communication is important among the squad and the coach to make sure everyone is confident with the progression.
- Recognize overuse. Overuse signs include pain or swelling that begins sporadically and becomes more frequent. Often, rest and basic first aid can alleviate these minor injuries and prevent them from becoming something more serious.
- Teach proper form. Strong technique and form help to prevent injuries. Teaching proper landing form is especially important.
How Can Cheerleaders Avoid Injury?
Patience is key for cheerleaders. Attempting certain skills before your body is ready can lead to injuries. For competitive cheer, it helps to have a foundation in gymnastics and dance.
Keep the following suggestions in mind to stay healthy:
- Stretch and warm up. Warm and flexible muscles are crucial for cheering. Stretching every day for 10 minutes helps increase flexibility. A good warm-up that begins with dynamic movements like jumping jacks and ends with static stretches is a must before practicing or performing. Cooling down and stretching afterward is equally important.
- Strength train. The core, including the abdomen, back, and hips, is engaged in nearly every cheerleading movement. A strong core will minimize injuries and maximize arm and leg strength. Great core exercises include planks, pushups, Pilates, yoga, and swimming. Practicing a comprehensive strength and conditioning program can help every squad member fulfill their role.
- Take time off. Staying healthy is more important than trying to tough it out. Take the time you need to rest and heal before returning to cheering following an injury. Listen to athletic trainers, doctors, and your body.
- Use spotters. Having spotters on hand when cheerleaders are learning new stunts is a good idea. An extra set of hands and frequent breaks between stunts keeps everyone safer.
- Wear proper footwear. Footwear with rubber soles and good support is key to avoiding injuries like rolling an ankle during a jump or stunt landing.
Learn more about UPMC Sports Medicine or schedule an appointment by calling 1-855-937-7678.
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on , and was last reviewed on .