Over the last 10 to 15 years, cheerleading has evolved past the pep rallies in the school gym and the sidelines of the football field into a physical activity that demands gymnastics skill and athletic ability. In 2002, 3.5 million school-aged kids 6 and older participated in cheerleading, an estimated 18% increase since 1990. But as the sport of cheerleading has changed, so has the rate of injuries among its participants, say researchers from Children's Hospital and the Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health, both in Columbus, Ohio.
Using information from a national injury database, researchers identified all cheerleading-related injuries reported from 1990 to 2002. By looking at the age of the cheerleaders, the types of injuries they sustained, the body parts they injured, where they were at the time of the injury, and whether they needed to be hospitalized, researchers identified trends in cheerleading injuries for the last 13 years.
Researchers estimated that 223,300 cheerleading injuries occurred during the study period, and 208,800 children between 5 and 18 years of age needed treatment in hospital emergency departments due to cheerleading injuries. They also reported a trend in rising injury rates - for example, in 1990 only 10,900 cheerleading injuries were reported compared with 22,900 injuries in 2002. This represented an increase in injuries of 110%, although overall participation in cheerleading increased only 18%.
Most cheerleading-related injuries occurred at school or recreation or sports centers, and cheerleaders were most likely to injure their lower and upper extremities. About half of all injuries were strains and sprains, especially in older cheerleaders, but broken bones and dislocations occurred most commonly in cheerleaders between 5 to 11 years of age. Overall, 85% of the cheerleading injuries occurred in cheerleaders between 12 and 17 years of age.
Almost all of the injured cheerleaders received emergency department treatment but didn't require hospitalization; however, cheerleaders who'd fractured or dislocated a joint were more likely to be admitted to the hospital.
What This Means to You: According to the results of this study, cheerleading injury rates have increased in recent years, and older cheerleaders may be particularly at risk because they attempt gymnastics maneuvers and stunts that are more likely to result in injury, such as pyramid formations and basket tosses. In general, though, the number of severe cheerleading-related injuries is low, and cheerleading can be a safe sport that helps your child stay physically fit.
The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors (http://www.aacca.org) offers a few tips for preventing cheerleading injuries:
- Make sure your child's coach is qualified and experienced.
- All practice sessions should be supervised by the coach.
- Before attempting any stunts, each cheerleader should receive proper training.
- Proper spotting techniques should always be used.
- Cheerleaders should wear sturdy athletic shoes and remove all jewelry.
If you have any questions about the safety of the cheerleading program at your child's school, talk to the coach or a school administrator about your concerns.
Source: Brenda J. Shields, MS; Gary A. Smith, MD, DrPH; Pediatrics, January 2006.
Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: January 2006
