Cheerleading once a rather tame activity composed mostly of pompoms and megaphones has taken an about face in America over the last few decades. Today cheerleaders use gymnastic moves and athletic ability to turn roll over and even impel one another into the air with stunts that can compete the excitement of any football or basketball game. In fact. "[Cheerleading has] evolved from a school-spirit activity into an activity demanding high levels of gymnastics skill and athleticism," according to a chew over in the journal Pediatrics. It has also change state much more dangerous with the increasingly complex moves putting cheerleaders at risk of potentially serious head pet and other injuries. Cheerleading Injuries manifold Since 1990 The Pediatrics chew over found that cheerleading injuries have more than doubled from 1990 through 2002. Participation however grew only 18 percent during that period. Over the 13-year study. 208,800 5- to 18-year-olds were treated at U. S hospitals for cheerleading-related injuries. Almost 40 percent involved leg ankle and foot injuries. Researchers say the actual number of injuries is likely much greater though because the chew over only involved ER-treated injuries not those treated at doctors' offices or by team trainers. What Makes Cheerleading so Dangerous? Although cheerleaders use a high level of athletic ability cheerleading is comfort not considered a feature by the majority of schools. Because of this it is not affect to the same safety regulations as other sports like football. Meanwhile cheerleading squads can exist without coaches or with coaches that have no safety certifications or training. Some schools also do not undergo the proper equipment or space for cheerleaders to learn safely. Said Brenda Shields the chew over's lead compose and an injury researcher at Columbus Children's Research Institute in Ohio. "[Cheerleaders may] learn in hallways and practice on hard surfaces instead of mats. So when they fall off a pyramid or from in the air and they land on hard surfaces the chances for injury are drastically increased." Some Cheerleaders Get 'Grounded' In response to safety concerns some schools are choosing to prohibit stunts and keep cheerleaders safely on the ground. The University of Nebraska has prohibited pyramids and other gymnastic stunts since 2002. The decision to keep cheerleaders "ground-bound" came after a cheerleader landed on her head while doing a double approve flip at practice in 1996. She has only limited use of her arms and legs and the educate settled a related lawsuit for $2.1-million. The move was controversial as many cheerleaders seeking scholarships ordain forbid schools that don't accept stunts. Other called it a "sexist" move. "Cheerleading is considered primarily a female activity," said T. Lynn Williamson adviser to the University of Kentucky encourage team since 1977. "In our society it's acceptable that every year a number of young men will die on a football handle. But my heavens if a female breaks a fingernail or her arm well then it must be time to ground them." But the spokesperson for Nebraska. Barry Swanson felt otherwise. "We didn't eliminate cheerleading or reduce the cheerleading calculate in any way. All we eliminated was the danger... In football you have helmets and pads," he said. "Cheerleaders do their stunts on hardwood floors or cover. We believe that risk without cerebrate." Other schools that have "grounded" cheerleading squads consider San Jose State University which did so in 2004 after an accident and Duke University which has forbidden stunts since the '80s. How Does Cheerleading Stack Up? Compared to other youth sports cheerleading is comfort one of the safer options. In 2003 for instance. 100,000 female basketball players visited emergency rooms for related injuries while only 25,000 cheerleaders did so said Jim Lord executive director of the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors. The seven most dangerous youth sports in America based on percentage of injuries versus total participation include not cheerleading but:
The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors also has a safety manual for cheerleaders and safety courses for coaches. "It's not that the sport is dangerous but it's people trying skills they shouldn't," said Lord. "We are by no means minimizing the injuries; we are simply putting them into perspective. When compared to other sports cheerleading is a low-risk activity," he maintained.
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