Are backyard trampolines dangerous?

If you’re someone who enjoys flinging your body through the air like a ragdoll, then chances are you’ve spent some serious time on a trampoline. But if you’re considering buying one for yourself or your offspring to play around with in the backyard, it’s important that you understand the risks associated with them. In this article, we’ll be looking at whether they are as safe as some people make them out to be.

The Basics

Trampolining involves bouncing up and down on a fabric stretched between springs over a metal frame. They come in various shapes and sizes, from small ones designed for indoor use to large ones suitable for outdoor use.

How Trampolines Work

The basic design of all trampolines is fairly simple: there is a mat (sometimes called a bed) where users bounce; several legs that hold up the frame; coiled springs connecting the mat to outer edges of frame; safety pads covering exposed frames and stiff parts of springs; and safety nets surrounding top or sides of jumping surface to prevent jumpers from falling off or executing extreme jumps.

There’s no denying it- bouncing around can be great fun! And while these things can help kids develop balance skills and burn off energy – making it easier for parents/guardians/teachers/anyone else responsible for wrangling children (who possess no chill)- without proper precautions, fooling around on trampolines also comes with inherent risk factors.

Risk Factors

Ever heard anyone say “there’s no such thing as bad weather just inappropriate clothing?” Well …not so much when concerning playing unsafely on home equipment ever since faulty manufacturing notwithstanding…..This goes double…no triple…no quadruple indeed quintuple (five times)(!). Because having “inappropriate behavior” would mean breaking bone(s), ending up hospitalization, or worse. Trampoline-related injuries can vary widely, from minor scratches to catastrophic brain or spinal cord damage. Up to a shocking one in 17,000 trampoline-jumping incidents result in permanent neurological dysfunction! This is not the kind of statistic you ever want.

Factors That Increase Risk

As always, it’s best if we identify all possible circumstances that combine increase chances of incident(s):

  • Multiple jumpers
  • High jumps/bouncing too high
  • Hitting edge/springs/poles/trampolining equipment
  • Falling off the mat/negating use of safety mats/padding/guards/netting etc.
  • Attempting flips and somersaults Additionally; misjudging trajectory upon landing may lead to momentous falls on both head/neck/wrist/fractures…eep!

But maybe you’re thinking: “Surely nothing could happen that easily?” Let’s discuss further…

Personal Experience

Backyard trampolines are like bees: they appear fun and innocent but have a sting that cannot be underestimated🙂 For example – I will never forget the time my neighbor convinced me she would show me her cool ‘jump tricks’ involving double flips during an afternoon dipsy-doodle session when we were both around twelve-years-old – only for us both to fall off mid-flip and land with backbending thumps onto solid rock while scraping our elbows bloody!

I wish I had known about incidence rates at that point so as not having wrongly believed “oh…it won’t hurt since it looks easy on Nickelodeon…” Yea right! Most people know someone who has suffered some sort of injury due to bounce-tastic activities:

A) It could be your cousin whose unbridled excitement led him straight into bouncing himself right over net resulting big gash/scrapes upon impact with pavement.
B) It could be that friend who tried a double back flip but only got halfway and broke her arm.
C) It could even be your Mama or Pops trying to show off their old-school moves for the kids’ amusement, only to get badly injured themselves…poor soul!

Injuries Related To Trampolines

Common trampoline injuries include:

  • Fractures
  • Sprains/strains
  • Contusions/extensive bruising
  • Cuts/scrapes/burns (from collisions with parts of frame/netting/mat)
    Any injury can turn serious quickly especially those involving our head/spinal cord! Soberingly, there have been reports of instances where people were left paralyzed after falling awkwardly through gap in springs interface!!!

The External Factor: Weather Conditions

It’s also important to keep weather conditions in mind. Unrestricted windy days are fairly common occurrence -especially when near coastlines or high altitudes /scenic vistas etc… No matter how secure you think your trampoline is at ground level(except if it’s already dug around one meter depth with all held down properly), it can blow away in strong gusts carrying its daredevil occupants along until impacting any fixed object/street/vehicle/cyclist/blind pedestrian/etcetera.

Safety First?

While we’ve seen some alarming stats about jumps-gone-wrong incidences, most parents simply want an answer whether backyard trampolines are categorically dangerous. When used correctly — which means proper supervision, safety gear/nets/pads installation— they don’t always lead to injuries; though accidents inevitably still do occur!. As long as certain precautions and rules are adhered too ,the bounce-tastic excitement may continue unabated even into adult age-groups since pursuing adrenaline rushes needn’t mean going out looking fun on death-defying feats without protective equipment measures present!

Precautions

The list of safety rules and precautions may vary by region, culture as well as be dependent on personal usage. But most common measures that decreased incidence rates of trampoline-r elated injuries have included among others, but are not limited to :

  • One jumper at a time
  • Flips restricted
  • Getting off the mat or pause for water breaks encouraged after intervals
  • Rigid netting being installed around entire perimeter/enclosure areas/overhead in backyard jumping area(s)
    -Two attending adults supervising rebounders at once if possible.

Safety Features

Manufacturers have also helped combat accident-prone tendencies with their focus on safety features including:

  • Non-slip surface material (helps reduce instances of slips/trips/falls due to humidity/sweat accumulation)
    -Spring nettles designed so fingers or limbs won’t easily get caught
    -Reinforced frames with padding over metal bases
    -With updated technology available via smart phone apps or video monitors, parents can now monitor what jumpers are doing on.

Even when even when all these desired factors are in place however, it is still prudent for injury-alert people to exercise caution while using backyard trampolines and encourage others who use them responsibly aiding decrease risks during jovial activities! So go ahead – bounce like you’ve never bounced before…just remember we warned ya ;)!!!

To Sum Up…

When used responsibly backyard trampolines can be safe! Just because something seems very innocuous doesn’t mean it really is ; making sure your gets first-rate supervision/use protective nets/materials/rules/necessary advice etcetera present doubles fun had without exacerbating incidences involving bumbling clumsiness resulting unmentionable pain…

So enjoy bouncing!!!Just do us one small favor: ensure nobody overhears maniacal cackling from yard’s edge….Amen!

Glossary:

  • Bees: either delicious honey producers or insects with innate ability to alienate would-be engaged in activities outdoor due stings causing extreme discomfort/burning swellings.
  • Sting that cannot be underestimated: Picture flaying uncontrollably against jagged rocks without even ones hands elbows for protection

Sources

No sources were used in the creation of this article.

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