Trampoline Injuries

Abstract

As the popularity of trampolines has increased during the past 10 years, so has the number of injuries sustained using them. Whether there is an actual increase in the risk associated with the use of a trampoline for the same number of exposure hours is not known. The marked increase in emergency room visits related to trampoline injuries might reflect only the increased number of trampolines now available for recreational use or the creative manner in which they are being used. The complex factors related to trampolines, their use, and the possible injuries will be discussed. A liberal use of Internet references will be used because this is where much of the advertising and information available to the public regarding trampolines currently is disseminated.

Trampoline-related injuries in childhood

“…However, despite intensive efforts of public education to indicate the dangers of trampolining, inclusion of safety materials in the trampoline packaging, media attention and education, these injuries continued to occur at an everincreasing rate [6]. Trampolining has been accepted as an Olympic Sport in 2000 and athletes might serve as an example encouraging untrained children to perform complex maneuvers on backyard trampolines [6]. After a review of the literature, all attempts to reduce the incidence of trampoline-related injuries failed [4,6,7,8,10,12].…”

“…Trampolining is associated with a significant risk of injury at any age [6,11]. Children, especially, are prone to suffer from trampoline-related trauma while using residential backyard trampolines [7,9].…”

“…A follow-up statement in 2005 indicated more than 210,000 trampoline-related injuries in patients under 19 years of age with associated costs of more than 4 billion dollars in 2003 [1]. However, despite intensive efforts of public education to indicate the dangers of trampolining, inclusion of safety materials in the trampoline packaging, media attention and education, these injuries continued to occur at an everincreasing rate [6]. Trampolining has been accepted as an Olympic Sport in 2000 and athletes might serve as an example encouraging untrained children to perform complex maneuvers on backyard trampolines [6].…”

Role of Gymnastics in the Army School of Physical Training

“…The scale of the problem grew so bad in the US that, in 1999, the AAOS published an estimated 186,405 trampoline-related injuries with a cost of $4.1 billion and advised removal of trampolines for use by children at home or school. 6 Yet there is evidence that overall serious spinal cord injury from gymnastics and trampolining is falling in the general population. 7 The ASPT implements all recommended safety measures to reduce accidents from gymnastics to a minimum.…”

“…1,2 In addition, a number of authors have reported the dangers of gymnastic events with regard to musculoskeletal injury. [3][4][5][6][7][8] At the ASPT, gymnastic events (now termed agility events) have always formed an integral part of the training and the passing out parade for the instructor courses.…”