10 Practices to Consider When Using a Trampoline

The following is information regarding typical injuries sustained on trampolines and advice on avoiding getting hurt while jumping, emphasizing practices to consider when using a trampoline for safety.

Trampolines in the backyard are becoming increasingly common for many families. Children enjoy jumping on trampolines because it allows them to burn off surplus energy, and parents value that trampolines promote motor development and physical activity. However, do the advantages of using trampolines truly outweigh the potential dangers?

Children under the age of six are discouraged against using home trampolines by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. This is an extremely important consideration for kids under the age of six. According to research published in September 2019 by the AAP, more than one million people sought medical attention in emergency rooms due to injuries sustained from trampolines between 2002 and 2011. The majority of patients were under 17 years of age.

Unfortunately, injuries happen for the same reasons that trampolines are exciting. A youngster has some control over how high she bounces and where she lands but not complete control over either factor.

Keep reading if you want to learn more about frequent trampoline injuries and how to avoid being hurt by following the advice of experts.

Trampolines Have the Potential to Induce Serious Injuries

Children who jump on trampolines run the risk of sustaining accidents that might leave them paraplegic, with brain damage, or even dead. And the younger and more vulnerable a child is, the higher the risk of sustaining an injury.

Doing somersaults, flips, or falling off the trampoline can cause serious neurological injury. Perform somersaults, flips, or tumbling off the trampoline, and you risk serious neurological injury.

Having said that, most injuries sustained on trampolines are dislocations, sprains, brain injuries, and broken or fractured bones. Injuries sustained by children when using trampolines have grown from 35.3 per 100,000 person-years in 2008 to 53.0 per 100,000 person-years in 2017, according to data from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). As a matter of fact, emergency departments are seeing a rising number of trampoline-related pediatric fractures each year.

When more than one youngster is jumping at once on a trampoline, that presents the greatest opportunity for accidents to occur. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), about 75 percent of trampoline accidents are brought on by youngsters jumping on the apparatus simultaneously and colliding with one another. It’s no secret that infants and toddlers have 14 times the risk of injury as teenagers. Other typical causes of injuries include falling off the trampoline, hitting the device’s springs or frames, and wrongly performing feats like somersaults and flips.

10 Important Precautions to Take When Utilizing a Trampoline

You must take the necessary safety measures if you are still intent on allowing your children to use a trampoline. According to Dr. Hunter, “Trampolines are certainly dangerous, but there are a few simple principles that can significantly lessen the risks of using a trampoline.” Important trampoline safety tips for parents are outlined below.

1. The trampoline is only permitted to have one person on it simultaneously.

When this is done, the cause of the injuries that occur most frequently on trampolines is reduced. “Create a communication system with specific phrases that signal someone’s turn is up, or set a time restriction (and a timing device) for each jumper,” Dr. Hunter offers as an alternative. “Create a communication system with particular words that signal someone’s turn is up.”

2. Forbid somersaulting and flips.

These risky stunts shouldn’t be attempted by children of any age, not even the older ones. They raise the risk of head, neck, and cervical spine injuries, which can result in permanent disability or even death.

3. Invest in the appropriate protective gear.

You should invest in shock-absorbing mats for the trampoline that completely envelops its metal frame, springs, and hooks. You should immediately replace the padding if you see any tears, fraying, or other signs of wear and tear on it. In addition, erect a net enclosure and examine the owner’s manual of your device in great detail to ensure that you have installed it appropriately. It is important to keep children from climbing or hanging from the netting.

4. Place your trampoline in the most optimal location.

Dr. Hunter recommends that the trampoline placement and assembly be well planned. “It is crucial to put a lot of planning into the position of the trampoline,” she says. She suggests positioning the trampoline on level ground, away from any structures and trees, and maintaining it inflated at all times.

5. Make sure there is a separate area where children can hang out while waiting their turn.

“The fully netting trampolines do not have that room, but you can make one adjacent so children can watch their friends jumping.” “When planning your play space, it’s crucial to think like a kid because that’s how they will use it,” explains Dr. Hunter. If your child falls off the trampoline, you should make sure to position their hangout space some distance away.

6. There should always be an adult there to supervise.

Dr. Hunter advises, “Don’t forget to establish a pleasant spot for an adult to hang out and oversee,” and this is something that should be done. In addition, adults should perform routine inspections of the trampoline to check for signs of wear and tear.

7. Think of some enjoyable activities that youngsters can do.

According to Dr. Hunter, “because you should have a rule forbidding somersaults and tricks, you’ll need to create alternative entertaining tasks.” For instance, children could participate in a memory game in which they imitate the actions of the player who went before them.

8. Take into consideration the disposition of your youngster.

According to Dr. Hunter, if you have a normally attentive youngster, they will be in a substantially safer position when using a trampoline. This is because many injury risks may be avoided by following a few basic principles.

9. Mini trampolines should also be avoided.

While it’s tempting to believe that you may “downsize” the risk of trampolines by physically reducing the trampoline itself, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises against purchasing mini trampolines since they carry the same safety hazards as full-sized trampolines.

10. Be sure to do your homework.

Ensure your homeowner’s insurance policy covers injuries sustained on your trampoline. To stay abreast of any recalls or customer complaints related to your trampoline’s make and model, you should conduct regular searches on saferproducts.gov.

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