Cheerleading Is High Risk

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - There has been a great deal of attention paid to injuries at all levels of sports, from grade school to the pros. Of course it goes with the territory: we know there's going to be a fair share of injuries. For better or for worse they are part of the game.

But, you might be surprised that there's another group that is at high risk for injuries during football season - cheerleaders.

Cheerleaders' routines, particularly at the high school and college level, are based on gymnastics maneuvers, and with these athletic moves comes the risk of injury.

In fact, in the past 25 years, cheerleading accounted for two-thirds of all catastrophic sports injuries experienced by high school and college females in the United States.