New Jersey residents may be interested to know that cheerleading is considered to be one of the most dangerous sports in the country. Cheerleading is an athletically demanding sport that requires great precision and athletic stamina and is recognized around the world as a competitive sport in its own right. The pressures and demands of difficult and often dangerous stunts can lead to serious, and sometimes life-threatening, injuries.
A Washington Post article from 2013 reported that cheerleading caused more than half of all catastrophic injuries among female competitors, including cervical spine injuries, brain injuries and skull fractures. Cheerleading injuries can also result in paralysis, concussions and even death and ranks among the top 20 sports with the highest rate of head injuries, as recognized by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Cheerleaders known as fliers are frequently at risk when they are held up by another member or members of the squad and launched into stunts that require them to fly as high as eight feet.
The routines of competitive cheerleaders typically involve tumbling acts, cheers, dancing and sometimes dangerous stunts. Such activities performed during a short span of time can lead to exhaustion and increases the likelihood of a serious injury’s occurrence. Studies show that practice time hold the highest risk of injury since skills are still being learned. Cheerleaders are encouraged to speak up if they are uncomfortable with any stunt performed and never perform a stunt for which they do not feel prepared.
The risk of a concussion is high in many sports, but motor vehicle accidents cause many brain injuries each year around the country. A person who has been seriously injured in such an accident that was caused by the negligence of another driver may want to speak with a personal injury attorney to determine the recourse that may be available for seeking compensation from the at-fault party.
