Jumping on a trampoline may seem like innocent fun but doctors and medical experts disagree as they warn about the dangers associated with this popular summertime activity. Last year among kids under 18, there were 103,512 ER visits due to trampoline accidents. To make things worse, trampoline injuries tend to be more severe than injuries caused by other notably dangerous activities.Trampolining ranked 2nd only after downhill skiing.
These injuries too often include those to the spine, head and neck and can potentially lead to permanent neurological damage. And most occur not because kids fly off, but because another child lands on them.
If you do have a trampoline, allow only one person on it at a time. As more people get on, the risk of injury increases. Be sure to always have safety nets and pads surrounding the trampoline, and regularly check the equipment for tears, detachments and deterioration. Make sure the trampoline is positioned on a flat surface or solid ground and is set a safe distance from trees and other hazards. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says children under the age of six should be prohibited from using trampolines as their bones are still growing. Jumping to progressively higher heights and landing puts a lot of stress on developing bones.
Not only is it important to use caution on your backyard trampolines but the same safety rules should be followed at trampoline parks. Recently, a mother of three year old son Colton shared his story to warn other parents of the dangers of trampoline parks. The mother explained Colton “fell and broke his femur, the strongest bone in his body, while innocently jumping alongside his dad and I” at an indoor trampoline park in Tampa. This injury left the young boy constrained in an almost a full-body cast. The mother said on Facebook that she shared her son’s story to help save other children from “experiencing the trauma and heartbreak associated with trampoline injuries.”
If you or someone you care about has been injured, contact Siler & Ingber, personal injury attorneys, for a free, confidential legal consultation to learn more about your options.