Why is cheerleading dangerous

However, while that injury rate by percentage does make the sport seem more dangerous than football in one sense, the statistics all show that football players are far more likely to actually die from a sports-related injury than cheerleaders. Also, in a ratio of injury-to-participants, cheerleading doesn't even rank in the top seven most dangerous sports. While the question of comparing cheerleading to football is dependent on perception, it can't be denied that it is dangerous, and is becoming more so.

The question really should be "Why? And what can be done about it? Researchers point to several factors that have contributed to the dramatic increase in injuries. Several high schools and colleges have eliminated flying from the repertoire of their squads, both to protect the cheerleaders and to keep costs of liability insurance down.

Others have increased the training for their coaches, and they've also insisted on the use of safety equipment such as mats for the more complex stunts. One frustrating block to increased safety is the refusal of many states to classify cheerleading as a "sport".

Such a classification would subject it to much more oversight and regulation. Instead, it's considered an "activity" like chess club.

Some of this reluctance may be simply because the state governments aren't aware of just how much cheerleading is in need of a more comprehensive safety structure. Meanwhile, it is up to the squads themselves, coaches and cheerleaders alike to keep their stunts as safely spectacular as they can.

Depends on What "Dangerous" Means According to a recent study, cheerleading is definitely more dangerous than football, that is if by "danger" you are talking about risk of injury. History of Cheerleading in America Cheer Camp Gallery Pictures of Cheerleader Poses and Moves Even more sobering is the fact that in the period from to , there were catastrophic injuries for high school and college female athletes "catastrophic" usually means head and spinal trauma, sometimes leading to death.

Many talented young gymnasts have moved from youth competition into the world of cheerleading, and with that advanced skill set have pushed the sport far beyond simple pom-shaking on the sidelines.

Coaches for cheerleading squads usually have little or no training in safety and stunts beyond what they've learned from experience. At times, cheer squads attempting dangerous stunts are coached simply by other cheerleaders.

Cheerleading, like most sports, carries an inherent risk for injury. Whiteley, who previously directed the football-focused docuseries Last Chance U on Netflix , has said he marvels at the tenacity of these athletes. But unlike football, cheerleading is not officially recognized as a sport — neither by the NCAA nor by U. Football has retained its number one spot over the decades, while cheerleading has managed to dramatically lower its rate of catastrophic injuries in recent years.

Still, cheerleading has had a higher rate of injury over time than 23 of the 24 sports recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association NCAA , the exception being football. Title IX , the section of the Education Amendments of requiring that men and women be treated equally academically, prohibits gender-based discrimination in sports.

In his decision , U. District Court Judge Stefan R. Quinnipiac appealed the ruling, but a federal appeals court upheld it in Circuit Court of Appeals wrote. When the activity began in the latter half of the 19th century, it was only for men. But over the next hundred years, it evolved into the female-dominated activity that formed the basis for the popular stereotype of girls and women cheering in short skirts and waving pom poms see: Heathers , American Beauty.

Cheerleading as a competitive sport — one that leads to higher rates of injury and requires great athleticism — only began in the s, according to Adams. Some competitive cheerleaders feel that this stereotype still undermines their credibility as athletes.

The Caiazzo family after a cheer competition. From right to left: Tommy, Bri, Lisa and Alexa. She was so out of it. Her eyes were like … It was like you were looking right through her. They tumble, they fly and they do it all with smiles on their faces. But behind the big bows and the sparkly pompoms of the sport, another truth emerges: Cheerleading is dangerous, too. The sport was responsible for 65 percent of direct catastrophic injuries to female high school athletes during a year period, according to a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

This supported a report from the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research at the University of North Carolina that concluded cheerleading accounted for The risk connected to cheerleading continues to rise as the difficulty of skills performed increases. During his 31 years of practice, Phoenix orthopedic surgeon Douglas Hartzler has treated numerous cheerleaders for injuries.

She began cheering when she was 9 and was hooked immediately, competing shortly after and traveling all over with her team.

After suffering her three concussions, Alexa missed two weeks of school because of her symptoms. She had extreme light and sound sensitivity and slept almost day and night. When she returned to school, the lights in the classroom and the sounds were somewhat overwhelming for her.

The concussions caused her to have issues with schoolwork. Not only did it put her behind, but it also made it difficult to remember things like math formulas. The look that Lisa described on the day she picked Alexa up after the third concussion was a look that haunted her for months.

She just had no clue. Part of the reason so many cheerleaders sustain serious injuries is because of what is required, Hartzler said. They do gymnastics skills on hard surfaces and rely on other people for safety, which can sometimes be unreliable. Tumbling involves the upper extremities … the shoulder, the elbow, and also the foot and ankle takes a pounding. It is not just the bones that are subject to injury. The soft tissue surrounding the bone, along with the ligaments and tendons, are also put at risk.

Also, the rate of concussions in cheer is a problem, although physicians like Hartzler do not deal with them in their practice. Guidelines have been in place for high school cheer in order to try to combat injuries, yet none of these safety measures can completely eliminate the risk. One common measure nationally calls for cheerleaders doing stunts to have a padded mat below them if they are on a hard surface besides grass.

In Arizona, coaches also have to pass certification courses. We want them to be safe, and if they hit a mat it prevents injuries from being real serious.

Contreras also is part of a small focus group of coaches that helps the AIA make important decisions regarding the activity.