Injuries on Trampolines Lead to 100,000 Emergency Room Visits Annually

More than 1 million people were treated in U.S. emergency rooms over a ten-year period for injuries sustained in trampoline accidents, according to a recent study by medical researchers from the University of Indiana School of Medicine.

The researchers examined data from 100 hospitals on trampoline-related injuries between 2002 and 2011. Nearly 289,000 people – mostly children – ended up in emergency departments with broken bones and other serious injuries, according to the study published in the Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics.

Twenty-nine percent of the injuries were fractures, and the majority of those were in the upper body. The average age for people suffering fractures was 9.5 years old. Other injuries typically involved the lower legs and ankles, although four percent of injuries occurred in the spine, head and ribs.

There is no question that trampolines present a high-risk activity for children. The American Academy of Pediatrics has clearly stated that they should never be used at home – where most of the injuries in the study took place – or on playgrounds. It does support trampoline use in supervised settings, such as gymnastics or diving classes.

This is not the first time that trampolines have been criticized for being a dangerous recreational activity. Years ago, manufacturers began providing net enclosures to deter people from falling off trampolines and also provided pads to cover springs, hooks and other parts of the trampoline that could cause injury. But trampoline detractors say that these measures aren’t effective enough to prevent injuries.

Some of the injuries that doctors see can be very serious. Even though brain, neck and head injuries were relatively rare in the study, those types of incidents – usually caused when someone tries to do a flip or somersault – could result in a life-altering injury.

Dr. Randall T. Loder, an orthopedic surgeon and the study’s lead author, told USA Today that the most common injuries he sees are elbow fractures, which require immediate surgery. Knee fractures are also common and may threaten a child’s growth plates, also leading to surgery, he said.

Consumers will undoubtedly remain divided on whether trampolines are safe. However, it is important to know that many homeowners’ insurance policies may not cover trampoline injuries. Others may require that trampolines are clearly enclosed like swimming pools or don’t have ladders installed so that others cannot sneak onto the trampoline when the homeowner is unaware. If you are considering purchasing a trampoline, you should check your insurance policy carefully to understand the risks that you are assuming if someone is injured. You also should be vigilant about inspecting your trampoline for maintenance issues to limit liability if an injury occurs.

If you are injured, there is no guarantee that the trampoline owner will be found negligent if you bring a legal claim against him or her. While there are certainly cases where negligence has led to terrible injuries, the courts must also consider whether you understood the risks of trampoline use and took them anyway. The answer to that question can play a role in what compensation (if any) may be obtained. The best way to know whether you have a valid claim is to seek advice from a personal injury attorney, who can evaluate the circumstances carefully.

Tips for Trampoline Safety

If you have a trampoline or buy one, you should take every step to make it as safe as possible. Here are some suggestions:

1. Make sure to use trampoline enclosures and cover any hardware with pads.
2. Conduct regular inspections, looking for things like decaying mats, exposed or damaged parts or tears in the netting.
3. Always place the trampoline on level ground. The Mayo Clinic has even gone as far as to recommend placing a trampoline in a pit so that it is at ground level.
4. Limit jumpers to one person at a time, always supervised.
5. Supervise jumpers around the edge of the trampoline.
6. Children under 5 should not jump.
7. Never allow anyone to bounce off the trampoline. Encourage them to sit and slide off slowly.
8. Never jump on a wet trampoline.