News and Views

What You Should Know About Trampolines

Using a trampoline is promoted as fun. But the growing popularity of trampolines among 8-year-olds to adults is resulting in a dramatic increase in serious injuries - including broken necks, spinal cord injuries, and disabling head traumas, many of which result in permanent paralysis as well as death. In addition, trampolines are responsible for many less serious injuries such as broken bones, including legs, arms, and other parts of the body, as well as different types of dislocations and muscle damage.

Trampoline Injury Facts

• According to the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), 246,875 medically treated trampoline injuries occur annually in the U.S. Of this total, 186,405 of these injuries occurred among children aged 14 or younger.
• According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) hospital emergency room-treated trampoline injuries almost tripled in the last decade - from an estimated 37,500 in 1991 to almost 100,000 in 1999.
• The commission has received reports of 11 deaths relating to trampoline use from 1990 to 1999. Those victims ranged in age from 3 to 43. Six were between the ages of 12 and 19.
• Falls off the trampoline often resulted in crippling injury and/or death including paralysis from spinal cord injury. Somersaults and coming into contact with other persons on the trampoline's surface likewise resulted in many serious and crippling injuries as well as death.
• Nearly two-thirds of trampoline injury victims were children 6 to 14 years of age.
• About 15% of trampoline injuries involved young children under 6 years old.
• Approximately 4% of all trampoline emergency-room treated injuries result in hospitalization.
• Most trips to the emergency room are the result of jumpers colliding with one another, falling on the trampoline springs or frame, falling or jumping off the trampoline, or attempting somersaults and stunts.