Football vs. cheerleading: Who gets hurt more?

FOOTBALL VS. CHEERLEADING: WHO GETS HURT MORE? Football programs -- from the high school level to the NFL -- are under pressure to reduce the number of concussions suffered by their play- ers. But for all their big hits and gladiatorial style of play, do football players get it worst when it comes to head injuries? To put the frequency and types of injuries suffered by football players into context, we sought out injury statistics for the group of athletes that often shares the football field: Cheerleaders. THIS HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARISON MAY SURPRISE YOU: FOOTBALL CHEERLEADING 202,384 estimated injuries 22,652 estimated injuries 211,316 players Injuries Cheerleaders Injuries Players 1,097,597 players INJURY RATE PER 1,000 ATHLETE EXPOSURES: 3.66 P0.57 TYPE 37% concussions 29% - sprains 34% 22% - sprains fractures 18% 22% contusions fractures 17% concussions contusions 14% other 13% other LOCATION 48% head /face /neck 25.9% head TESO /face /neck •- 5.1% back 5.4% back- /torso 23 /torso 24.3% arms /hands 19.4% arms /hands 40.9% 1 legs/feet - 26.1% legs /feet RECOVERY TIME 37% < 1 week 43% < 1 week - 36% 35% 1-3 1-3 weeks weeks 8% > 3 weeks 16% did 19% did 6% > 3 not return not return weeks REQUIRED SURGERY 7% 1% FATAL INJURIES C1982-2009) 111 Sources: National Center for Catastrophlc Sport Injury Research, http://www.unc.edu/depts/nccsi/ Nationwide Children's Hospital Center for Injury Research and Policy, http://www.nationwidechlldrens.org/cirp-rio-study-reports National Federation of State High School Associations, http://www.nfhs.org/content.aspx?id=3282 Consumer Product Safety Commission National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, http://www.cpsc.gov/Research--Statistics/NEISS-Injury-Datal (visual ly Design: anibalinfogaphics Research: Luke G.