Common Cheerleading Injuries

Shoulder injuries are also common in cheerleading

The awareness of cheerleading injuries is on the rise. Perhaps this is due to progressing skills. More likely, in my opinion, it’s due to an increased attention to cheerleading in general.

Either way, this is a good thing. Knowing what common injuries and the common causes helps bring awareness and thus can help reduce the risk.

If you are looking for information about the most common cheerleading injuries, here are some of them:

1. Ankle Sprains: This is the most common injury in cheerleading. It occurs when the ankle twists or turns beyond its normal range of motion, causing damage to the ligaments.
2. Knee Injuries: Cheerleaders often suffer from knee injuries due to the constant jumping and landing. Some common knee injuries include patellar tendonitis, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, and meniscus tears.
3. Concussions: Cheerleading involves a lot of stunting that can lead to falls and head injuries. A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that can cause headaches, dizziness, and memory problems.
4. Wrist Fractures: Cheerleaders are at risk of wrist fractures due to the repetitive motions involved in tumbling and stunting.
5. Back Injuries: Cheerleading involves a lot of twisting and bending of the back, which can cause strains, sprains, and sometimes herniated discs.

In the clinic, as well as on the teams I coached, I also saw shoulder injuries. Most were due to postural changes, but some were due to rotator cuff strains.

It’s important to note that cheerleading is a physically demanding sport and can lead to serious injuries if not performed correctly. When you take proper safety precautions, warm up before practices, games and competitions, you can reduce the risk of injury.

Including a whole-body strength and conditioning program can also reduce the risk by making sure you are strong enough to do the stunt/tumble/jumps that are required.

Proper nutrition, hydration and adequate rest and recovery have also been shown to reduce injuries.

Injuries aren’t entirely preventable. If you do suffer an injury, seek medical attention, with your teams Athletic Trainer and/or your physician immediately.

If you’d like more information about proper warmups or strength and conditioning programs, email Laura@MoveBetterLLC.com