Cheerleading women's most dangerous sport

CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Aug. 12 (UPI) -- U.S. high school cheerleading accounted for 65 percent of all catastrophic sports injuries among high school females in the past 25 years, researchers said.

The annual report of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research said that figure was believed to be 55 percent but new data included in this year's survey indicate that the true number of cheerleading injuries appears to be higher.

Between 1982 and 2007, there were 103 fatal, disabling or serious injuries recorded among female high school athletes, with 67 occurring in cheerleading. In comparison, gymnastics had nine similar injuries and track had seven.

Among college athletes, there have been 39 such injuries: 26 in cheerleading, followed by three in field hockey and two each in lacrosse and gymnastics.

The center's director, Frederick O. Mueller, said catastrophic injuries to female athletes have increased over the years.

"A major factor in this increase has been the change in cheerleading activity, which now involves gymnastic-type stunts," Mueller said in a statement. "If these cheerleading activities are not taught by a competent coach and keep increasing in difficulty, catastrophic injuries will continue to be a part of cheerleading."

The report is available online at: http://www.unc.edu/depts/nccsi/AllSport.htm.