Trampolines are great fun for children, but they often get injured on them, by wrong landings or falls, that can cause serious, permanent injuries.
Common injuries include:
- Broken bones (Sometimes surgery is needed.)
- Concussions and other head injuries
- Bruises, scrapes, and cuts
- The most serious injuries are head injuries from falls or damage to the spinal cord in the neck (which can lead to permanent paralysis or death.
Why children under five years old, not shall bounce on trampolines.
Children under five are not sufficiently physically developed to control their bouncing, they weigh less and also have less co-ordination to help them control landings and the fact that their bones not are strong enough to handle the impact of repetitive jumping and jumping movements, put them in a higher risk of fractures. Another risk factor is that they can bounce much higher on a trampoline due to their lightweight, that the bounce canbecome so high, that they propel over the net.
Safe trampoline use starts with adult supervision and one child on the trampoline at a time!
- Children age five and under should not be permitted on a trampoline.
- Always use safety pads, covering the frame and springs.
- Always use a safety net enclosure.
- Make sure that only one child, uses the trampoline at a time.
- Jump in the center of the mat.
- Jump with bare feet (no shoes).
- Stand back, when someone is jumping (no sitting on the padding!)
- Never crawl under the trampoline when someone is jumping.
- Don’t bounce off the trampoline net.
- Only jump when the trampoline is dry.
- Never allow children to bounce off the trampoline. Encourage them to stop bouncing, walk to the edge, sit and slide off.
- Keep toddlers away while the trampoline is in use.
Excerpts from Playtime Seychelles Safety Corner