The study just published in Pediatrics found cheerleading injuries do happen less frequently than in many other sports. The most common injuries, almost a third, were concussions. Other top injuries included ligament sprains, muscle strains and broken bones.
While the rate of injury is lower, parents also have to remember that these injuries can be significant. The study found about 16 percent of those injured in cheerleading needed to take off three weeks or more to recover. Some were permanently benched. While injuries may be less common in cheerleading, the potential for those injuries to be “catastrophic,” such as permanent disability or even death, is high. The National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research shows that almost two-thirds of all catastrophic sports injuries in high school girls are from cheerleading.
That’s why it is so important from the cheerleader, coach, parents, schools and organizations to make sure safety is priority No. 1. Here are five tips to help:
Preparation
“Start slowly,” says Lora Scott, MD, co-medical director of Dayton Children’s sports medicine program. “Know the rules of the sport. Build up your skill level. Learn how to stand, jump, fall and land the right way. Speak up if you feel uncomfortable in a certain stunt or skill.”
Make sure you also warm up and cool down properly. You can also prepare your body for activity by drinking lots of water, eating nutritious foods and getting enough sleep.
Supervision
Coaches and any adult involved should be qualified to instruct and monitor the situation, keeping safety their first concern. Coaches should always enforce the rules. In addition, they should be well trained in the sport as well as in first aid and CPR. They should promote the mental and physical well-being of their athletes.
The right gear
Safety equipment should be used at all times, including mats and safety harnesses, if necessary. Spotters should be used to reduce the chance of an accident.
Don’t play hurt
“Athletes are at a much greater risk of getting hurt again if they return before their injury has had time to heal,” says Dr. Scott. “Parents should get a doctor’s approval to return to cheering, especially if there were signs of a concussion.
Even if the doctor says it’s OK to return, take it slowly and listen to your body. If you feel any return of symptoms, stop. Much better to take a break and make sure you are okay than risk a bigger injury.”
Sport designation
Many states don’t classify cheerleading as a sport. That means they aren’t required to have an athletic trainer, training and competition rules or required injury reporting. Many teams do, but they don’t have to. By changing the designation, cheerleading would be required to have those safety items.
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