Jump into spring with trampoline safety tips

Spring is a wonderful time of the year, and we’re excited to have trees and flowers blooming. With the warmer weather, more children are playing outside, which is great. Children love to play on trampolines. Trampoline injuries are common among children. Trampoline injuries that involve the head and neck can be severe and life-threatening. Fractures are also common in the arms and legs among children. The American Academy of Pediatrics and sports medicine organizations have made recommendations and safety tips to help children stay safe while they enjoy playing on the trampoline.

Trampoline safety tips:

Children younger than six years of age should be prohibited from jumping on trampolines
Active adult supervision should occur with all other jumpers
Trampoline use should be limited to only one jumper at a time
Somersaults and flips should not be performed in a recreational setting
Caregivers should inspect trampolines for adequate placement and condition of padding
Trampolines should be placed on a level surface and away from trees or other hazards
Trampolines should be inspected before each use for worn or damaged parts and safety equipment such as netting and padding.

In one study, 556 patients were evaluated for trampoline injuries. 77% of the injuries occurred on the trampoline, including falls on to the mat, collisions with another jumper, falls on to the frame or the springs, whereas 22% of the people fell off the trampoline. In 74% of the cases, more than two people were on the trampoline, with as many as nine trampolinists noted at the time of injury. For children <11 years, 22% had adult supervision when the injury occurred. The most common types of injuries were fractures (36%) and injury to ligaments (36%). Injuries to the extremities predominated (79%), and the lower extremities were the most commonly injured part of the body (44%). A ligament injury in the ankle was the most often reported diagnosis (20%), followed by an overstretching of ligaments in the neck (8%) and a fracture of the elbow (7%). Regarding cervical injuries, two patients had cervical fractures and one patient had an atlantoaxial subluxation.

Please call and make an appointment to be seen by Dr. Kevin Mangum, D.O. if someone has suffered a trampoline injury. Please follow the safety tips above to help reduce the chance of children being injured on the trampoline. Stay safe and enjoy the spring!