By Dr. Josh Prickett,brMedical Director of North Tarrant E-Care Emergency Center
By Dr. Josh Prickett,brMedical Director of North Tarrant E-Care Emergency Center
Next time you are watching a sporting event in Southlake –brwhether it's little league softball, high school baseball or your favorite localbrcollege team – take a moment to appreciate the athletic performances happeningbron the sidelines. No matter what season it is, cheerleaders work hard to keepbryou fired up.
Cheer means much more than just “cheering” these days, asbrsquads perform physically demanding maneuvers that combine dance, gymnastics, stunts andbrbreathtaking pyramid formations. Fierce competition from junior high throughbrcollegiate cheerleading causes parents to worry about the risk of sports injury.
Fortunately, cheerleading organizations such as the AmericanbrAssociation of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (AACCA) offer safety guidelines to help protectbrcheerleaders of all ages. One of the key elements in cheer safety, for example, is to recognize that cheerleaders arebralso athletes. They are susceptible to sports injuries just like any other players,brand should follow the same “return to play” guidelines. Coaches should bebrcertified in teaching safe cheer skills and techniques under optimalbrconditions.
Common Cheer Injuries
Current data records fewer cheer-related injuries comparedbrto other sports injuries. Since new rules and safety training guidelines werebrput in place in 2005 as part of the Cheer Safety Initiative, catastrophicbrinjuries in cheerleading have sharply declined. For example, emergencybrroom visits related to female athletes were much more frequent forbrbasketball, soccer and softball than for cheerleading.
Cheerleaders suffer injuries to all areas of the body, butbrmost frequently they experience:
· brAnklebrsprains
· brWristbrsprains
· brShoulderbrinjuries
· brHead andbrneck injuries including concussion
By far, the most common cheer injury is ankle sprain, where the ankle isbrrolled over or “inverted” with the bottom of the foot turned to face thebropposite foot. This stresses the ligaments, which may be strained, partiallybrtorn or completely detached. Most ankle sprains are treatable with rest, ice, compressionbrand elevation. If pain lingers and the ankle cannot bear weight, furtherbrevaluation by a physician is recommended to help identify the severity of thebrankle.
Every parent with a Southlake student athlete involved inbrcheerleading should inquire about the local cheer program's safety guidelines. Findbrmore information about Carroll Dragon cheerleading on thebrbooster club website, or from varsity sponsor Julie Cox and JV sponsor JenniferbrWunderlich. The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administratorsbr(AACCA) offers a free downloadable Parent's Guide to Cheerleading Safety.
Cheerleaders should take care to warm up, stretch and dobrongoing strength training to help prevent injuries. Athletic trainers and coaches recommendbrcheerleaders work to balance hard work with proper rest and recovery to avoidbrthe risk of overtraining injury.
Symptoms ofbrOvertraining
· brChronic muscle or joint pain
· brLack of improvement
· brIrritability, burnout and lack of enthusiasm
· brIncreased injury, illness and infection
Avoid OvertrainingbrWith a Few Simple Tips
· brCross train using yoga, Zumba, Pilates tobrbalance out the way cheerleaders use their bodies.
· brPlan practices a month in advance to be surebrtraining methods vary.
· brKeep practice well organized and brief to allowbrfor more rest and recovery time.
· brDo not work through ongoing muscle soreness,brbruises, or joint pain.
· brAvoid over-emphasis on stunts and tumbling.
For more information about National Cheerleading SafetybrMonth, check out CheerSafe.org or AACCA.org.
For more information about the flu, visit the E-Care Emergency Center blog.
Josh Prickett, MD, is currently medical director for North Tarrant location of E-Care Emergency Center in North Richland Hills. Dr. Prickett graduated from the University of Oklahoma Medical School and has been practicing emergency care in Oklahoma, Minnesota and Texas since 1989. He has been married to his wife Carin for 29 years. They have a son Jonathan, a daughter Whitney, and a son-in-law John. Dr. Prickett and his family are active at Gateway Church in Southlake and love being a part of the Southlake community.