Many people think trampolines are a great addition to their home, kids love jumping up and down on these things. In fact, jumping on a trampoline may increase the risk of injury for both children and adults. Falling off a trampoline or not using it properly can result in strains, sprains, fractures and other injuries including potentially serious head and neck injuries.
Dangers of trampolines.
Trampoline injuries and the dangers.
The risk of injury is so high that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says that trampolines should never be used at home or in outdoor playgrounds. They suggest limited use of trampolines in supervised training programs, such as gymnastics and diving classes, where strict safety guidelines must be followed.
The majority of injuries related to trampolines occur at home. Bouncing off a trampoline can result in a fall of 10–13 ft from the peak of a bounce to the ground or a fall into the suspension springs and frame. With the increase in the number of home trampolines in recent years and a corresponding increase in injuries reported, some medical organizations suggest that they be banned.
It is recommend that only one person should be allowed to jump at a time to avoid collisions. In fact, one of the most common sources of injury is when there are multiple people bouncing on the trampoline at once. This caused people to bounce into one another and thus becoming injured; many suffering from broken bones as a result of landing strangely after knocking into another user.
Another of the most common sources of serious injury is an attempt to perform somersaults without proper training. In some cases, people land on their neck or head, which can cause paralysis or even death
Injury Prevention
Some experts advise that these dangers can be reduced by burying the trampoline so the bed is closer to the surrounding surface to lessen falling distance, and padding that surrounding area. Pads over the spring and frame reduce the severity of impact injuries. Keeping the springs covered also reduces the risk of a limb falling between the gaps in the springs and the rest of the body falling off of the trampoline.
The American Academy of Pediatrics states that there is no epidemiological evidence that nets improve safety. Nets do prevent jumpers falling off the trampoline onto the ground, but these falls are not the most common source of injury and multiple users bouncing in a netted trampoline can still be injured. This would safeguarding a single person jumping as long as they don’t fall on their head/neck.
Jumping on a trampoline is a great way to get a vigorous workout, the very thing American children need today, says Arch Adams, president of Fun Spot Trampolines, in Hartwell, Ga. “It’s one of the few forms of exercise kids want to do.” What’s most important, he says, is that users follow industry guidelines and heed warnings included with all consumer trampolines: one jumper at a time; no somersaults, and adult supervision is essential.
Check with your doctor if you think your child may have been injured while jumping on a trampoline.
