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Are trampolines safe?
Matthew Gipson
According to the Mayo Clinic , 1 million trampoline injuries occurred between the years 2002 and 2011. These injuries included broken bones, lacerations, and head injuries, which can have devastating consequences. Additionally, most of the injuries affected children under the age of 16. While most kids find the idea of jumping on a trampoline fun, it’s up to parents to put certain safety measures in place to prevent significant injuries from occurring.
For example, injuries often occur when more than one child is jumping at the same time. Kids can collide while jumping, which often leads to fractures and even concussions. This is especially true when older kids are jumping with younger ones, which can lead to significant injuries due to the discrepancy in size. In this case, only allowing one child to jump at a time is a great way to stop collisions and ensure kids remain unhurt.
Trampolines must also come equipped with the appropriate safety features. When trampolines are left open there is more of a risk that kids will fall off while jumping. Netting keeps kids on the trampolines and stops bruises and more serious issues from occurring. Some reports show that netting reduces the rate of fractures in half, which is a significant reduction.
Finally, children must be taught about safe trampoline practices when jumping. For instance, some kids may be tempted to jump from a roof or awning, which can lead to serious injuries that require extensive medical treatment. Make sure your children realize the risk of doing such dangerous maneuvers and explain the correct way of using the trampoline so they are safe.