The Most Dangerous Sport: Cheerleading

Cheerleading safety efforts have led to modest reductions in the number of serious injuries in recent years, according to a new report about college and high school sports and cheerleading mishaps.

But cheerleading continues to cause more serious and deadly injuries by far than other sports.

Researchers have long known how dangerous cheerleading is, but records were poorly kept until recently. An update to the record-keeping system last year found that between 1982 and 2007, there were 103 fatal, disabling or serious injuries recorded among female high school athletes, with the vast majority (67) occurring in cheerleading. The next most dangerous sports: gymnastics (nine such injuries) and track (seven).

Today, the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill released its 26th annual report on the topic. The latest figures are from the 2007-2008 academic year for college and high school sports, male and female. The report defines catastrophic injuries as any severe or fatal injury incurred during participation in the sport.

The new numbers are for the 26-year period from the fall of 1982 through the spring of 2008:

* There were 1,116 direct catastrophic injuries in high school (905) and college sports (211).
* High school sports were associated with 152 fatalities, 379 non-fatal injuries and 374 serious injuries. College sports accounted for 22 fatalities, 63 non-fatal injuries and 126 serious injuries.
* Cheerleading accounted for 65.2 percent of high school and 70.5 percent of college catastrophic injuries among all female sports.

The number of cheerleading injuries fell slightly in the 2007-08 academic year.

"Progress has been slow, but there has been an increased emphasis on cheerleading safety," said the study's author Frederick O. Mueller. "Continued data collection on all types of cheerleading injuries will hopefully show that these safety measures are working to reduce injuries."

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I personally can't believe some people still don't even consider this a sport or ask what their purpose is - thats like asking "whats the point of rooting for your team?". I can personally attest to some of the crazy injuries. Long live Cheerleaders!

The numbers are high because sooooooo many people do it. In my area alone there are at least 100 girls in highschool cheerleading, probably 300 in middle school, plus all the kids that go to private cheer gyms. I would still venture to say rugby and UFC is technically more dangerous.

But it's so funny when the football player stumbles into the group when they're cheering...

The main cause of injury to cheerleaders is middle aged overwieght drunk NFL fans pummeling them

The numbers are high because sooooooo many people do it. In my area alone there are at least 100 girls in highschool cheerleading, probably 300 in middle school, plus all the kids that go to private cheer gyms. I would still venture to say rugby and UFC is technically more dangerous.

Smoke89

I wouldn't say 'most', but it is indeed a lot more dangerous than people think.cyberdarkkid

Doesn't it have to be considered a sport in the first place?bluezy

It's not surprsing really.

They are getting thrown pretty high in the air and doing all those backfilps. Even if you practice 24/7 you or one other person can slip up once and leave you with a bad injury.

[QUOTE="bluezy"]Doesn't it have to be considered a sport in the first place?Sajedene

The main cause of injury to cheerleaders is middle aged overwieght drunk NFL fans pummeling them

Kamekazi_69

The drunk huh nfl wha.....

No really, have you seen those crazy things that they do? Cheerleaders are thrown into the air and stuff, they're insane!

[QUOTE="Smoke89"]

The numbers are high because sooooooo many people do it. In my area alone there are at least 100 girls in highschool cheerleading, probably 300 in middle school, plus all the kids that go to private cheer gyms. I would still venture to say rugby and UFC is technically more dangerous.

Sajedene

[QUOTE="Sajedene"][QUOTE="bluezy"]Doesn't it have to be considered a sport in the first place?bluezy

Speed boat racing has a fatality rate of over 50%. I believe that's the most dangerous sport.

lol, cheerlading a sport? More like a dance competition to me.kaangonultas

[QUOTE="kaangonultas"]lol, cheerlading a sport? More like a dance competition to me.Sajedene

[QUOTE="Sajedene"][QUOTE="kaangonultas"]lol, cheerlading a sport? More like a dance competition to me.kaangonultas

Frankly, I hate the concept of cheerleading. Yes, some of the tumbling routines and stunts are impressive... but the primary purpose of cheerleading is to still, y'know, lead cheers. I wouldn't want my daughter to try out for cheerleading. Why settle for being a sideshow, when she could be the main event? I'd want her to go for volleyball, basketball, softball, swimming, gymnastics, or any other sport where SHE would be the one others are cheering for.

Yeah, it can be dangerous, I imagine these girlsflipping or being jumped up high and falling down breaking their pretty necks and heads and such.

As for a sport?

I dont know...

I always saw them as a bunch of moral boosters and eye candy for the audience.

[QUOTE="kaangonultas"]

[QUOTE="Sajedene"] If things like golf and curling can be called sports - and gymnastics and synchronized swimming and heck... swimming are considered sports... then YES cheerleading is a sport.Sajedene

[QUOTE="Sajedene"][QUOTE="kaangonultas"]lol, cheerlading a sport? More like a dance competition to me.kaangonultas

The numbers are high because sooooooo many people do it. In my area alone there are at least 100 girls in highschool cheerleading, probably 300 in middle school, plus all the kids that go to private cheer gyms. I would still venture to say rugby and UFC is technically more dangerous.

Smoke89

Frankly, I hate the concept of cheerleading. Yes, some of the tumbling routines and stunts are impressive... but the primary purpose of cheerleading is to still, y'know, lead cheers. I wouldn't want my daughter to try out for cheerleading. Why settle for being a sideshow, when she could be the main event? I'd want her to go for volleyball, basketball, softball, swimming, gymnastics, or any other sport where SHE would be the one others are cheering for.

Oleg_Huzwog

[QUOTE="Oleg_Huzwog"]

Frankly, I hate the concept of cheerleading. Yes, some of the tumbling routines and stunts are impressive... but the primary purpose of cheerleading is to still, y'know, lead cheers. I wouldn't want my daughter to try out for cheerleading. Why settle for being a sideshow, when she could be the main event? I'd want her to go for volleyball, basketball, softball, swimming, gymnastics, or any other sport where SHE would be the one others are cheering for.

Sajedene

[QUOTE="Smoke89"]

The numbers are high because sooooooo many people do it. In my area alone there are at least 100 girls in highschool cheerleading, probably 300 in middle school, plus all the kids that go to private cheer gyms. I would still venture to say rugby and UFC is technically more dangerous.

LeGoofyGoober

Wait about 20 years when they can study "MMA" fighters at older ages. They are going to have terrible osteoarthritis from joint stress and abuse. Also the less padded blows to the head will likely show greater brain swelling damage since it serves as a larger shock, thus causing the brain to hit the sides of ones skull.

I don't want to read that but it sure is easy to break your face in cheerleading.

You've never heard of competitive cheerleading?Sajedene

The series of competitions that were developed solely to rationalize the continued existence of an activity that encourages girls to stand on the sidelines while the boys take center stage? Yes, I have heard of those.

I can't help but think of this. :P

[QUOTE="bluezy"][QUOTE="Sajedene"] It is a sport :|Sajedene

[QUOTE="Sajedene"][QUOTE="bluezy"]I'd call that debatable.UnamedThing

[QUOTE="Sajedene"][QUOTE="Oleg_Huzwog"]

Frankly, I hate the concept of cheerleading. Yes, some of the tumbling routines and stunts are impressive... but the primary purpose of cheerleading is to still, y'know, lead cheers. I wouldn't want my daughter to try out for cheerleading. Why settle for being a sideshow, when she could be the main event? I'd want her to go for volleyball, basketball, softball, swimming, gymnastics, or any other sport where SHE would be the one others are cheering for.

kaangonultas

I can easily see that.

My GF during my first 1.5yrs at FSU was a cheerleader and she used to have bruises all the time, moreso during the summer when they were practicing the most (preparing for football season). I distinctly remember her having a REALLY bad sprained ankle during the Spring semester and I had tohelp her get around campus & stuff. ugh....that ankle bruise was disgusting :?

She told me that injuries were common in cheerleading, but not as much in college as in HS. She said she gave a couple of her coaches black eyes during practice because of mistakes :lol:

[QUOTE="Sajedene"]You've never heard of competitive cheerleading?Oleg_Huzwog

The series of competitions that were developed solely to rationalize the continued existence of an activity that encourages girls to stand on the sidelines while the boys take center stage? Yes, I have heard of those.

When two girls have to synchronize throwing a third girl in the air a bunch of times, things will go wrong eventually. Cheerleading is fairly demanding and dangerous so it's no surprise really.I'm sure all of them know the risks of doing it. It always irks me when moms don't want their boys playing football but then let their girls cheerlead with no qualms.:?

Well, its not, but if you want to think so, thats fine. Rugby, soccer, and gymnastics are more dangerous. One of my friends uncles tore open his genitals on a balance beam in gymnastics.

Actually, I think gymnastics is far more dangerous than cheerleading.

Edit: Majorettes is quite dangerous too. I kinda miss doing it, but I don't have the time for it anymore.

[QUOTE="Oleg_Huzwog"]

[QUOTE="Sajedene"]You've never heard of competitive cheerleading?Sajedene

The series of competitions that were developed solely to rationalize the continued existence of an activity that encourages girls to stand on the sidelines while the boys take center stage? Yes, I have heard of those.

The point was cheerleading, despite the growth of organized judged competitions, remains firmly rooted in its archaic origins - boys take center stage while girls stand aside to cheer.

Actually, I think gymnastics is far more dangerous than cheerleading.

Edit: Majorettes is quite dangerous too. I kinda miss doing it, but I don't have the time for it anymore.

ayanami_rei

It baffles me that a lot of people here think cheerleading is just jumping up and down while rooting for a team.Sajedene

Nobody thinks it's "just" that... but there is no question that is the primary focus.

[QUOTE="Sajedene"]It baffles me that a lot of people here think cheerleading is just jumping up and down while rooting for a team.Oleg_Huzwog

Nobody thinks it's "just" that... but there is no question that is the primary focus.

[QUOTE="Oleg_Huzwog"]

[QUOTE="Sajedene"]It baffles me that a lot of people here think cheerleading is just jumping up and down while rooting for a team.Sajedene

Nobody thinks it's "just" that... but there is no question that is the primary focus.

Heck the primary purpose of the NBA (for example or any organized sport association for that matter) can easily be argued to be NOT to play basketball (OMG!) but to serve as an entertainment for people. Does that make it any less of a sport if its primary focus is not centered on the sport itself? Is the NBA not as sporty as playing basketball on the streets?

Was and STILL IS its primary purpose. The sport isn't penalized for the views of observers. It's penalized because of its own refusal to stop embracing second-fiddle status.

And I'm not sure where you're trying to go with the NBA thing. I'm not challenging cheerleading's status as a sport... I'm challenging its status as something a kid should aspire to take part in.

And I'm not sure where you're trying to go with the NBA thing. I'm not challenging cheerleading's status as a sport... I'm challenging its status as something a kid should aspire to take part in.

Oleg_Huzwog

[QUOTE="LeGoofyGoober"]

[QUOTE="Smoke89"]

The numbers are high because sooooooo many people do it. In my area alone there are at least 100 girls in highschool cheerleading, probably 300 in middle school, plus all the kids that go to private cheer gyms. I would still venture to say rugby and UFC is technically more dangerous.

Smoke89

Wait about 20 years when they can study "MMA" fighters at older ages. They are going to have terrible osteoarthritis from joint stress and abuse. Also the less padded blows to the head will likely show greater brain swelling damage since it serves as a larger shock, thus causing the brain to hit the sides of ones skull.