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Before You Bounce, Know the Injury Risks of Trampolines

Bouncing on a trampoline can be a blast and a great source of exercise for both kids and adults. However, trampolines also come with a significant injury risk. 根据 Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 100,000 trampoline-related 受伤 are treated in an emergency room every year.

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children of all ages totally avoid trampolines due to the risk of 受伤, including catastrophic ones. Children younger than six years are the most at risk for serious 受伤.

“Younger kids have a lot less motor control, 平衡, 和协调, and they’re still learning how to control their body and develop those motor skills,” Kevin Park, FAAPMR, MBBS, a spinal cord injury specialist and spasticity medical director at 克雷格·H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital. “那, if there are multiple kids on a trampoline and they’re the smallest one, they’re more likely to get hurt since their bones are still developing.”

Types of Injuries from Trampoline Use

Trampoline 受伤 range from minor ones that can be treated at home to devastating, life-altering situations, which is why choosing to jump can be so risky.

Common trampoline 受伤 include:

  • 割伤和擦伤
  • Sprains and strains, particularly in the ankles, shoulder, knees, and wrists
  • Fractures, most commonly in the arms and legs
  • 脑震荡 and other traumatic brain 受伤 (TBIs)
  • 脖子和 spinal cord 受伤, which can result in paralysis and even death

“的 worst-case scenario is a spinal cord injury that results in paralysis due to a fractured vertebra,朴槿惠说. “的 muscles responsible for breathing are controlled by the upper part of the neck, so if the injury occurs near the high cervical spine, you could lose the ability to breathe and potentially die."

Common Causes of Trampoline Injuries

Whether you’re visiting a trampoline park or a friend’s backyard, if you do choose to allow your kids to occasionally bounce, knowing how most 受伤 occur can help you implement safety measures to prevent kids from getting hurt.

Most trampoline 受伤 are caused by:

  • Collisions when multiple people are on the trampoline
  • Falling off the trampoline edge
  • Doing a risky stunt, such as a flip
  • 着陆尴尬
  • Falling onto the springs of the trampoline

If someone does get hurt on a trampoline, it’s important to remain calm and encourage others to stop bouncing so you can assess the injury. If a child has fallen off the trampoline or landed on their head or neck, do not immediately move them to another location, as this can cause further damage. 第一个, be sure to ask them if they can move their extremities and if they still have feeling in their body. An inability to move and loss of sensation can point to a potential spinal cord injury. In this case, you should keep them still and call 911 immediately.

For head 受伤, broken bones, and severe sprains, seek medical care.

If your child experiences severe headaches, 恶心想吐, 呕吐, or light sensitivity after hitting their head on a trampoline, take them to the emergency room to get evaluated for a 脑震荡.

Keeping Everyone Safe

Trampoline parks enforce their own safety rules and measures. Backyard trampolines increasingly have padding over the metal springs and nets that totally enclose them. While this may help decrease spring-related 受伤 and keep kids from falling off, it does not totally eliminate the risk of 受伤 that can happen on the trampoline itself due to collisions, 坏的着陆, or stunts gone wrong.

  • Some safety rules that can help prevent injury include:
  • One person on the trampoline at a time
  • Avoid doing risky stunts like flips
  • Check the trampoline before jumping to ensure there are no tears or damaged parts
  • Always have adult supervision

“Parental supervision is very important,朴槿惠说. “Educate your kid about the risks, then set clear rules and play within those boundaries. I know kids want to have fun, but close supervision is really important to prevent 受伤.”