Is cheerleading more dangerous than football

  The past few years there has been an uprise in the concern of the effects football has on the brain due to the number of concussions and the way they have been handled. While the focus might have been on football in the past, there is another sport that actually might be more dangerous than football when it comes to head injuries. At Kentucky games this year alone we have seen three cheerleaders (two Kentucky and one South Carolina cheerleaders) take a fall and be transported to the hospital. While the extent of those injuries have not been disclosed, it is certain they were at least monitored for head injuries. I couldn’t find college numbers, but in high school from 1982 to 2011, there were 83 severe or disabling injuries, including two fatal, in cheerleading. That amounts to a rate of 2.68 per 100,000 compared to 1.96 per 100,000 in football. Now, you must also take into comparison that cheerleading is a year round sport whereas football only takes place over five months or so. Concussion safety begins with education. From diagnosed cheerleading concussions, 61% did not even realize the signs and symptoms and some went days before going to the doctor. They have just walked it off, just like football players in the past, with little care given other than just 'keeping an eye on it'. The most dangerous part is this type of handling. That’s why it is so relieving to see Kentucky handle these injuries the way they have. Not once, but three times we have seen the game stop so proper medical care could be given to the cheerleader. Kentucky has done an excellent job of taking precautionary measures when handling cheerleader injuries on the court/field this season. Something they should be applauded for. Now. Here is this cheesy video from 2009 that compares a tackle in football to a cheerleader taking a fall on the turf. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvpgqT5vh6s @Sealey_KSR