Injury patterns in men's and women's collegiate cheerleading

Background/Purpose: Cheerleading is a popular activity that has evolved into a competitive sport combining elements of dance with gymnastic tumbling and partner stunting. Despite the inherent risk for injury, little is known about the epidemiology of cheerleading injuries, especially among collegiate cheerleaders. Our objective was to describe injuries and associated activities and time loss in a collegiate cheerleading program. Methods: Records for injuries to cheerleaders participating in a Division I collegiate program over 9.5 competitive seasons were reviewed using a retrospective review of paper training room records and records from the computerized database used by the athletic trainers to document and track athlete injuries and illnesses. Systemic illnesses and un-related injuries were excluded. Results/Outcomes: Over 9.5 competitive seasons, 89 injuries were reported among 61 male and 80 female cheerleaders. The injury rate for males was 1.9 injuries per 1000 athlete-exposures and 1.4 injuries per 1000 athlete-exposures for females. Upper extremity injuries were most common among males and lower extremity injuries among females. The most frequently reported activity at injury was one partner stunting. On average, injuries to males resulted 22 days of lost time and injuries to females 30 days. Overall, knee injuries resulted in the greatest mean number of days off at 89 days for men and 111 days for women. Conclusions: Cheerleading is a sport that combines the risks of gymnastics with the addition of stunts involving lifts and tosses. Injuries to collegiate cheerleaders, especially those sustained during stunting activities, may result in significant time loss and disability.