Power & Strength

Cheerleading Conditioning Chiropractor

Cheerleading and the physically intensive gymnastics and acrobatics put participants’ body’s/musculoskeletal systems at an increased risk of injury. A wrong move or falling at the wrong angle can cause permanent damage. Cheerleaders must follow a balanced diet and maintain physical fitness, strength, endurance, and flexibility to be successful cheerleaders. Cheerleading conditioning builds the musculature and spinal strength to decrease the risk and prevent injury.

Cheerleading Conditioning

Cheerleaders must have a solid musculoskeletal system to ensure their safety and the safety of their squads. Workouts include cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises.

Warming Up

  • Before any workout, the muscles need to be warmed up.
  • Spend five minutes jumping rope, running in place, jogging on a treadmill, or doing any mild activity to raise the heart rate.
  • After the muscles are warmed up, stretch all major muscle groups.

Cardio

Strength Training

Performing partner lifts, pyramids, and basket tosses calls for strong muscles.

  • Focus on the shoulders, arms, back, core, and legs.
  • Strength training workouts can be done with exercise equipment or body weight.
  • Bodyweight workouts include pushups, situps, partner leg lifts, squats, and lunges.
  • Perform 10 to 12 repetitions each, working up to 75 – 100 reps.

Flexibility

  • Cheerleading conditioning focuses on the hamstrings, quads, glutes, abdominals, chest, shoulders, back, and pectorals.
  • Yoga, Pilates, or regular stretching at home will increase flexibility.
  • Incorporate stretches that focus on the major muscle groups.
  • Stretch at the end of the workout.

Balance Training

Balance is essential.

  • This is where yoga can improve balance.
  • Try tree pose by standing on the right foot, and the left leg bent on the right knee.
  • The left thigh should be parallel to the ground.
  • Raise arms overhead and make a V motion keeping the abdominal muscles pulled in tight.
  • Balance for up to one minute.
  • Switch to the other foot.
  • Once balance is mastered on the ground, try balancing on a cushion to add instability.
  • Repeat three to five times on each foot.

Common Injuries

Common injuries include:

  • Hand and finger injuries.
  • Ligament sprains in the knees and ankles.
  • Muscle strains in the hip, low back, and legs.

Overuse injuries

  • Cheerleading is becoming a year-round sport.
  • Starting with tryouts during spring.
  • Teams may hold or go to organized summer cheerleading camps to learn new skills, improve skill sets, and create routines for competition.
  • Continuous training and competitions increase the chance of overuse injuries.
  • The wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles can be injured by repetitive stress.

More severe injuries are:

  • The repetitive tumbling places significant pressure on the spine and can cause stress fractures.
  • Dislocation of the shoulder or elbow.

Injury Causes

  • Lack of arm and shoulder, foot, and ankle strength.
  • Little to no core and abdominal strength.
  • Flexibility problems.
  • Improper conditioning.
  • Unhealthy diet.
  • Performing skills that are advanced for the cheerleader’s current level.

Chiropractic Enhancement

Chiropractic care can treat injuries and strengthen the body’s musculoskeletal system to prevent injuries. Chiropractic’s goal is optimal body performance by redistributing blood circulation, nerve energy flow, correct muscle positioning, and skeletal alignment. Many cheerleading teams are incorporating chiropractic. Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic also specializes in sports medicine rehabilitation, strength training, nutrition, and health coaching.


Cheerleading Strength Training Workout


References

Boden, Barry P, and Christopher G Jarvis. “Spinal injuries in sports.” Neurologic clinics vol. 26,1 (2008): 63-78; viii. doi:10.1016/j.ncl.2007.12.005

Miners, Andrew L. “Chiropractic treatment and the enhancement of sport performance: a narrative literature review.” The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association vol. 54,4 (2010): 210-21.

Mueller, Frederick O. “Cheerleading injuries and safety.” Journal of athletic training vol. 44,6 (2009): 565-6. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-44.6.565

Pang, Yanbin, et al. “Premature exhaustion of mesenchymal stromal cells from myelodysplastic syndrome patients.” American journal of translational research vol. 9,7 3462-3468. 15 Jul. 2017

Wan, Jing-Jing, et al. “Muscle fatigue: general understanding and treatment.” Experimental & molecular medicine vol. 49,10 e384. 6 Oct. 2017, doi:10.1038/emm.2017.194

Post Disclaimer

General Disclaimer *

Professional Scope of Practice *

The information herein on this entire blog site is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.

Blog Information & Scope Discussions

Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.

We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.*

Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research studies or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how they may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to discuss the subject matter above further, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, or contact us at 915-850-0900.

We are here to help you and your family.

Blessings

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
Texas DC License # TX5807, New Mexico DC License # NM-DC2182

Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN*) in Florida
Florida License RN License # RN9617241 (Control No. 3558029)
Compact Status: Multi-State License: Authorized to Practice in 40 States*
Graduate with Honors: ICHS: MSN-FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner Program)
Degree Granted. Masters in Family Practice MSN Diploma (Cum Laude)

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, MSN-FNP, RN* CIFM*, IFMCP*, ATN*, CCST
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