Your thoughts: Is cheerleading too dangerous?

Posted on Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 1:33 p.m.

The fall sports season is less than a month away. And with it, according to a recent University of Michigan study, comes the start of the season that's the leading cause of catastrophic injury for young women: Cheerleading.

With increasing difficulty in the sport - including more stunts like backflips - data shows the number of cheerleading accidents in high school and college rose from 5,000 in 1980 to nearly 26,000 and 28,000 in recent years, according to the study.

Researchers also hypothesize the sport may cause more injuries because while stunts are getting trickier, it's still often being coached by parents or amateurs - rather than trained professionals. It's also often practiced on hard surfaces like gym floors.

Both the Los Angeles Times and the Tampa Tribune picked up stories about the study.

What do you think? Is cheerleading too dangerous? Do you think more should be done to prevent injuries among young cheerleaders in Washtenaw County? Who's responsible for making the sport safer?