Three Cheers For Injury Prevention

Main Category: Bones / Orthopaedics
Article Date: 24 Sep 2007 - 16:00 PDT

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Any serious cheerleader will tell you that cheerleading is not just an activity - it is a true sport. A potentially dangerous one too, considering it is the leading sport for severe, traumatic injury in females. Because cheerleading accounts for more than half of these types of injuries in high school and collegiate female athletes, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) suggests that cheerleaders observe certain safety guidelines.

Injuries among cheerleaders often result from gymnastic tumbling or maneuvers such as the pyramid and the basket toss. In the pyramid drill, the cheerleader at the top is most often injured after falling and landing on a hard surface. The basket toss is a stunt in which a cheerleader is thrown into the air, often between 6 and 20 feet, by three or four other cheerleaders. But injuries such as bruises, twisted ankles, shin splints - even head and neck injuries - can also occur while cheerleaders are performing simple routines on unforgiving surfaces like gymnasium floors.

"Cheerleading has evolved into a physically demanding sport requiring complex gymnastic maneuvers that pose a serious threat of injury to participants," says Raffy Mirzayan, MD, orthopaedic surgeon and fellow of the AAOS. "Cheerleading injuries can be prevented through increased spotter training, mandating the use of floor mats for complex stunts, and encouraging safety education and proper training for coaches."

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, cheerleading injuries have more than doubled since 1990. Sprains and strains accounted for more than half of those injuries. More than 16 percent of injuries involved fractures or dislocations, and nearly 4 percent involved concussions and other closed head injuries. As part of its injury-prevention efforts, the AAOS recommends the following guidelines for avoiding cheerleading injuries:

- A cheerleading squad should practice and perform only under the direction of a qualified and knowledgeable adviser or coach.

- Make sure the environment is suitable for the activity. For example, cheerleading practice should take place on a surface with the appropriate matting - not on hard surfaces such as concrete or asphalt, wet or uneven surfaces, or surfaces with obstructions.

- All squads should receive thorough training in proper spotting techniques.

- Never build a stunt without the coach present.

- All stunts, including pyramids and basket tosses, should be reviewed and approved by the coach prior to execution.

- Familiarize your squad with the most common cheerleading injuries and how to treat them. Establish a chain of command (coach, assistant coach, captain, co-captain and so on).

For more injury prevention information http://www.orthoinfo.org.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons