Skip to main content

Advertising Disclaimer »

Main menu

  • Journals
    • Pediatrics
    • Hospital Pediatrics
    • Pediatrics in Review
    • NeoReviews
    • AAP Grand Rounds
    • AAP News
  • AAP Policy
    • Topic/Program Collections
    • Policy
  • Pediatric Collections
    • COVID-19
    • Racism and Its Effect on Pediatric Health
    • More Collections...
  • Multimedia
    • Video Abstracts
    • Pediatrics On Call Podcast
  • Alerts
    • Table of Contents
    • Insights
  • AAP Career Center
  • Subscribe
  • Other Publications
    • American Academy of Pediatrics

User menu

  • Log in

Search

  • Advanced search
American Academy of Pediatrics

AAP Gateway

Advanced Search

AAP Logo

  • Log in
  • Journals
    • Pediatrics
    • Hospital Pediatrics
    • Pediatrics in Review
    • NeoReviews
    • AAP Grand Rounds
    • AAP News
  • AAP Policy
    • Topic/Program Collections
    • Policy
  • Pediatric Collections
    • COVID-19
    • Racism and Its Effect on Pediatric Health
    • More Collections...
  • Multimedia
    • Video Abstracts
    • Pediatrics On Call Podcast
  • Alerts
    • Table of Contents
    • Insights
  • AAP Career Center
  • Subscribe
Parent Plus

S is for safety in cheerleading!

Lori O’Keefe
AAP News November 2012, 33 (11) 20; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/aapnews.20123311-20a
Lori O’Keefe
Roles: Correspondent
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • Comments
Loading
Download PDF
  • Copyright © 2012 by the American Academy of Pediatrics


Embedded Image

Cheerleading is an increasingly popular activity for children of all ages, but the number and severity of cheerleading injuries such as concussions also are growing. The American Academy of Pediatrics has released new recommendations to help prevent these injuries.

  • Cheerleading should be sanctioned as a sport so that it is subject to the rules and regulations of sports governing bodies and school athletic departments.

  • Coaches should be trained in gymnastics and stunt spotting, safety measures, and basic injury management.

  • Cheerleaders should receive a preparticipation sports physical, training in correct spotting techniques, and access to strength and conditioning.

  • Cheerleaders should attempt stunts only after they show they are able to perform them safely.

  • Spotters and bases should have adequate upper body and core strength.

  • Stunts should be performed only on spring floors, mats, foam floors or grass, as hard surfaces increase the risk for injury.

  • Pyramids should be limited to no more than two people high.

  • Coaches, parents and cheerleaders should have access to a written emergency plan such as the one found on the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches & Administrators web page at www.aacca.org/content.aspx?item=Resources/EmergencyPlan.xml.

  • A cheerleader showing signs of a head injury should be removed from practice or competition and allowed to return only after receiving written permission from a physician.

Parents are encouraged to ask coaches about their experience, training and ability to recognize and manage injuries, as well as where practices will be held.

© 2012 American Academy of Pediatrics. This Parent Plus may be freely copied and distributed with proper attribution.

PreviousNext
Back to top

Advertising Disclaimer »

In this issue

AAP News: 33 (11)
AAP News
Vol. 33, Issue 11
1 Nov 2012
  • Table of Contents
  • Index by author
View this article with LENS
PreviousNext
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on American Academy of Pediatrics.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
S is for safety in cheerleading!
(Your Name) has sent you a message from American Academy of Pediatrics
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the American Academy of Pediatrics web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Request Permissions
Article Alerts
Log in
You will be redirected to aap.org to login or to create your account.
Or Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Citation Tools
S is for safety in cheerleading!
Lori O’Keefe
AAP News Nov 2012, 33 (11) 20; DOI: 10.1542/aapnews.20123311-20a

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Share
S is for safety in cheerleading!
Lori O’Keefe
AAP News Nov 2012, 33 (11) 20; DOI: 10.1542/aapnews.20123311-20a
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
Print
Download PDF
  • Table of Contents

Jump to section

  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • Comments

Related Articles

  • Here’s the drill
    Cheerleading’s popularity rises, along with serious injury rates: AAP policy
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • No citing articles found.
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • Check ingredients before using prescription ear drops on children
  • Three reasons why parents need immunizations, too
  • Avoiding peanuts may not be necessary for some allergy-prone infants
Show more PARENT PLUS

Similar Articles

Subjects

  • Sports Medicine/Physical Fitness
    • Sports Medicine/Physical Fitness
  • AAP NEWS BY DEPARTMENTS
    • Parent Plus
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement
  • FAQ
  • Contact Us
  • 2021 AAP Journals Catalog
  • Pediatrics
  • Pediatrics in Review
  • Hospital Pediatrics
  • NeoReviews
  • AAP Grand Rounds
  • AAP Career Center
  • shopAAP
  • AAP.org
  • AAP News
  • Visit AAP News on Facebook
  • Follow AAP News on Twitter
American Academy of Pediatrics

© 2021 American Academy of Pediatrics