On November 2nd, during a halftime show at a Morehead State University American football game, cheerleader Corey Martens, 29, suffered a severe neck injury while performing a back handspring up. Martens, who had stepped in last minute due to other team members’ absences, lost consciousness momentarily during the stunt. Instead of landing on her partner’s hands as intended, she landed directly on her head, resulting in a fractured C5 vertebra. The incident was captured on video by the assistant coach, showing Martens’ teammates rushing to her aid as she writhed in pain.
Martens attributes the blackout to a combination of insufficient food intake and low iron levels. The back handspring up, a complex maneuver requiring the cheerleader to propel themselves backward onto their hands and then upwards onto their feet, demands precise timing and coordination. Martens’ blackout occurred at the crucial moment of the handspring, preventing her from executing the move correctly and leading to the devastating impact. She described the experience as blacking out for only a second, but that second proved disastrous, as her feet never left the ground, leading to the direct head impact.
Following the accident, Martens was immediately transported to St. Claire Hospital in Morehead, Kentucky. Initial assessments highlighted the severity of her injury, prompting immediate CAT scans and x-rays to determine the extent of the damage. The scans revealed a non-displaced C5 fracture, meaning the broken bone hadn’t shifted out of place. This fortunate circumstance meant there was no immediate pressure on her spinal cord, explaining why she didn’t experience any neurological symptoms or paralysis, a common outcome for fractures in the C4-C6 region.
Remarkably, Martens was discharged after just six hours, though she was required to wear a neck brace continuously for two and a half weeks, removing it only briefly for showering and changing. While relieved to avoid paralysis, she remained cautious, understanding the need to protect her neck from further injury. The initial weeks were filled with worry, but the absence of neurological issues after the first week significantly eased her concerns. She focused on recovery and adhering to medical advice to avoid any long-term complications.
The video of the accident, taken by Martens’ assistant coach, captured the frightening moment of impact. Although painful to watch, Martens reviewed the footage the day after the accident to understand what went wrong. Driven by her characteristically light-hearted approach to even challenging situations, she later shared the video on TikTok, where it went viral, amassing hundreds of thousands of views, likes, and comments.
Displaying remarkable resilience and determination, Martens returned to cheerleading just a month after the accident. While still under medical restrictions regarding tumbling, pyramids, and dismounts, she was cleared to begin stunting. With some initial trepidation but driven by a desire to avoid developing a mental block, she successfully executed the same back handspring up that had caused her injury, albeit under the watchful eye of a medical professional. Martens credits her coaching background and experience with encouraging injured athletes to try again as crucial to her swift return to the sport. She remains focused on her cheerleading goals, determined not to let this setback derail her aspirations. Acknowledging her good fortune in avoiding more serious consequences, Martens is committed to her recovery and future in cheerleading.
