Over one million people visited urgent care centers or emergency rooms with trampoline-related injuries from 2002 to 2011 (Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics). The majority of these injuries occurred in small children.
With more and more commercial trampoline "parks" popping up, this number could continue to skyrocket.
Neck and spinal cord injuries are the most serious, and often suffered from a bad landing when attempting somersaults or flips. Other injuries include sprains and fractures to the lower extremities, with more than 60% affecting the ankle. Bumps, bruises, and minor cuts and scrapes are also common.
Many injuries result from too many people jumping close together, as they often end up bumping into each other. This can be especially hard to avoid if visiting a trampoline park during a busy weekend or special event packed with lots of kiddos.
Whether heading to one of these parks, or jumping on a home trampoline, the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) urges extreme caution, especially for young children.
Here are a few safety tips:
- Make sure all visible equipment is in good working condition - no tears on the trampoline surface, and no exposed springs.
- Check that there are no toys or foreign objects anywhere on the trampoline.
- Supervise children at all times. Do no rely on the park's staff to monitor your child's safety.
- Do not allow kids to do somersaults or flips.
- Verify that the facility follows proper AAP and industry guidelines regarding trampoline use and maintenance.
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