Trampoline Safety

There is a new toy in town that, without proper safety measures, can leave your child with injuries as simple as a broken bone and as complicated as paralysis or even death. Your child may be at risk of incurring a devastating trampoline injury right at this very moment. Do you throw the trampoline away? No, the answer is much simpler. Learn how the proper safety guidelines.

Injuries produced as a result of trampoline use can be as serious as a broken neck, spinal cord injuries, disabling head traumas, paralysis and even death. The less serious injuries include broken bones, dislocations, and muscle damage. With these potential dangers it is imperative that parents do their jobs. We need to find out what the dangers are, and how to prevent them from happening to our children. If we don’t do our part, than we have no one to blame for these accidents except for ourselves. This is especially true when facts, like the one listed below, have been presented to us.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission stated, “In 2001 there were 91,870 hospital emergency room – treated injuries related to the trampoline.” The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission further states that 93% of the injuries were incurred by victims under 15 years of age. Another 11% were victims under the age of 5 years. This is proof that, while trampolines may not be the safest toy in town, parents aren’t doing their jobs either.

The reasons for the ER visits were not because the trampoline fell apart. The reason was that the proper safety precautions were not followed or enforced by parents. Children collided with other children, landed improperly when completing stunts, fell off the trampoline, and fell on the springs and frame. These are situations that can be prevented by following the safety guidelines presented below.

1. Allow only one person at a time. You can’t collide with yourself.
2. Do not allow stunts. Somersaults can result in paralysis and even death.
3. Always cover the springs and frame. These will be sold with your trampoline or at the same place you purchased your trampoline.
4. Place your trampoline away from trees, buildings, and anything else that might present a danger.
5. Children under 6 should not be allowed on a trampoline. In addition, measures should be taken to prevent your young children from gaining access to the trampoline.
6. Supervise your children at all times. There is no way around this one.
7. Enclose your trampoline to prevent children from falling off of the trampoline. Note that you will still need to supervise as an enclosure will not prevent all accidents.
8. Never allow your children to jump onto the trampoline from another structure. This can result in serious injuries.

By following these precautions you can prevent your children from suffering the fate that 91,870 other children were faced with in 2001. Remember that there is no substitute for parental guidance. The knowledge to protect your kids is out there, it is your job to be prepared.