It is not hard to imagine the danger associated with cheerleading on every level. The flips and tricks performed by a single person alone are dangerous enough, but there are several other components from multiple people to the environment that also must be taken into consideration. Statistically, cheerleading is the most dangerous and risky sport high school and college girls participate in. A catastrophic injury can be defined as one that leaves the victim permanently debilitated or dead. In girls at the high school level, cheerleading accounted for 65.1 percent of these catastrophic injuries. In college aged girls, this number climbs to 66.7 percent. And where there are catastrophic injuries, there are also more minor ones.
There are several more minor injuries that are more common among cheerleaders, especially those who are younger. In 2002, the number of minor injuries among cheerleaders was estimated to be at least 22,900. A complete breakdown of this number’s specific injuries
includes:
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- 52.4 percent were strains and sprains
- 16.4 percent were fractures and dislocations
- 18.4 percent were injuries to soft tissue
- 3.8 percent were lacerations and avulsions
- 3.5 percent were concussions and other closed head injuries
The remaining 5.5 percent is labeled as other and likely includes things like bruises, hyperextensions, muscle tears, and the like. Though the risks are great, they are seen as a small price to pay by the girls who love what they do [Liv08].
As previously stated, many companies have their own rules and guidelines for safety that differ between level and competitions. For example, high school cheerleaders have much stricter guidelines than a higher level competitive team. But there are some basic things everyone can do to ensure the safety of everyone involved on the team. Firstly, and one of the most important things, is to stretch. The muscles should always be stretched and warmed up before practicing or performing. Each team has their own warm up routine. For example, a team may start with jumping jacks before going into deep leg stretches, then arms, then back. It is important that all muscles be flexible and ready to tackle the routine ahead to prevent pulls, tears, and other injuries of this nature. It is also important to make sure that any activities done repetitively, especially tumbling, be followed by rest as well as hydration. Not following this guideline may result in exhausted and dehydrated athletes, and this will lead to hospital visits.
Athletes will almost always benefit from strength training in addition to stretches. The core’s strength is essential to nearly all activities performed in cheerleading. Exercises should target the core, legs, and arms to build up not only strength but resistance. Athletes should practice in an area with adequate space, on decently sized mats, and free from distractions like spectators and electronic devices. Horsing around should be kept to a minimum to ensure that all athletes performing can concentrate on their skills. A split second of broken focus or doubt could lead to an injury or worse. The proper lifting technique should be taught to all athletes during stunting. It is important to lift with your legs and not with your back in order to prevent strain and injury, as well as to create a clean, fluid motion within the stunt group. The backspot should lift up on the flyer’s ankles in a stunt to help ease some of the weight off of the bases. Additionally, the flyer should keep her body tight and stiff to make herself feel lighter to those lifting her.
When dismounting, the area in front of the stunt group should remain clear to avoid kicking anyone while the flyer descends. Bases should keep their arms outstretched above their heads during a cradle so that they may catch the flyer high in the air, which will in turn slow her fall. If the flyer is performing a twist down cradle, she should keep her fists tight to her body to avoid punching her bases and backspot. Bases’ attention should remain on their flyer at all times. If they lose focus and begin focusing elsewhere, there is a good chance the flyer will be hurt. At no point during a failed stunt should a flyer’s body hit the floor. The person(s) beneath the flyer should always be prepared to catch her to the best of their ability. If the athlete is uncomfortable, afraid, or has doubts, they will almost definitely fail and hurt themselves or others around them. These are only a few guidelines. The list above is in no way comprehensive, and it may be adjusted depending on the level of the team, the environment the team is performing in, and most importantly the skill level of the athletes. Coaches should never press their athletes to perform skills outside their level or things they are not comfortable doing [Nat16].
Recently, in 2014, the American Medical Association ruled that cheerleading is indeed a sport. There was previously much debate and controversy regarding its status as a mere hobby or athletic activity. Making cheerleading an officially sport benefits the sport in many ways. First, it would mean stricter baseline rules among the teams. This means that there would be more regulations regarding the types of stunts and maneuvers athletes can perform within specific levels of their sport. Second, the policy would deter performances being held on unsafe surfaces. In other words, teams may no longer perform on streets, concrete floors, hardwood, etc. without adequate mats. Spring board matted floors are preferred due to their cushion and bounce-back qualities, as well as their ability to absorb impact. Finally, the policy would require coaches to have valid, adequate certification including (but not limited
Even the best athlete can have mishaps, even when all safety guidelines are followed. For times like these, it is important to have an emergency action plan. An emergency action plan is a set of steps one would follow if a serious injury were to occur. For example, a cheerleader falls from a stunt onto a hard floor and hits their head. The athlete is in a dazed state and it would appear they have a serious concussion. In an emergency action plan, you would first assign roles to the individuals around you. Coaches and supervisors may begin emergency first aid, while team mates dial 9-1-1 and/or, if in a school setting, fetch the nurse. Other teammates would go find the athletic director (if there was one) and station themselves somewhere to wait for the ambulance in order to direct emergency medical personnel and fill them in on the situation and the victim’s condition on the way to the injured athlete. It is important to have this plan in place before an emergency ever occurs. It is also important to practice this emergency action plan often with teammates [Var16].
It is an undisputable fact that cheerleading is dangerous. It has the statistics to prove it. Regardless of one’s opinion, if they consider it a sport or not, there is no denying that what cheerleaders do is not only amazing but incredibly risky. It is important to implement safety measures on your team to keep athletes, coaches, and spectators alike safe so that they can enjoy all the hard work that goes in to the incredible performances put on by some of the most hard core athletes, cheerleaders.
