It is not hard to find children who are eager for the chance to jump on a trampoline for the first time, and it is usually parents who are the reason some children never take part in this activity. The fear that parents have is not unreasonable, as there are 98,000 injuries every year that can be directly attributed to the use of a trampoline. The way in which these accidents occur is numerous, but there are a few reasons that are most prevalent.

Too Many People at Once

Statistics have been compiled showing that 75% of all injuries that occur on trampolines are caused by multiple people using the device at once. This number is likely so high because:

• The greater the number of people on a trampoline the more likely it is that collisions will occur
• Children are more likely to take risks in an effort to impress their friends or beat them at a game
• The device is more unstable due to the movements of each person causing the bounce mat to shift

Inadequate Safety Features

Many trampoline injuries also occur because the owner of the device didn’t take enough precautions to ensure it was safe for users. Two safety features that every trampoline should have include:

• Netting – Netting goes around the outside of the trampoline and ensures users can’t fall off even if a collision or loss of footing occurs. This protects children from many of the fractures and other injuries that are sustained when they bounce into the air and then land on the hard ground.
• Anchoring – Anchoring a trampoline is also of vital important and ensures the device doesn’t shift while it is in use. Even when trampolines are placed on perfectly level ground there is a chance they could shift due to the movements of the user placing more weight on one side of the device.

Insufficient Supervision

Children love trampolines because these devices allow them to do tricks that would otherwise be impossible, but this also means they may do things that are dangerous. Those who are supervising children on trampolines should ensure they:

• Don’t allow more than one child on the device at any given time
• Don’t allow children younger than six years old on the device, as recommended by pediatricians
• Make sure the rules for using the device are known and that children don’t attempt tricks that will put themselves or other children at risk of harm.

Take Legal Action

Many trampoline injuries could be prevented with proper care. Many people don’t take the necessary steps to prevent children from getting injured on trampolines. If your child was hurt on a trampoline, then you should consider hiring a personal injury attorney.

4 1/2 year old girl and the trampoline by daveynin / CC BY 2.0