Trampoline—Instruments of Injury

The Consumer Product Safety Commission advises against the use of trampolines by children. In recent years, as their popularity has increased, the number and severity of injuries has increased

* In 1999, hospital emergency rooms treated 98, 889 injuries to children under the age of 15. This number has increased from 37,555 injuries since 1991 

* Since 1990, CPSC has received reports of eleven deaths involving trampolines 

* About four percent of all trampoline injuries treated in an emergency room result in hospitalization 

* Almost all of the trampolines associated with injuries were at private homes, usually in back yards 

Types of Trampoline Injuries
Injuries and deaths were caused by:

* Colliding with another person on the trampoline 

* Landing improperly while jumping or doing stunts on the trampoline 

* Falling or jumping off the trampoline 

* Falling on the trampoline springs or frame 

Injuries incurred most often to the leg and foot (40% of the total injuries) followed by injuries to the arm/hand (29% of the total injuries), head/face (20% of the total injuries), and injuries to the shoulder/trunk (10% of total injuries). Injuries have included:

• Sprains 
• Fractures 
• Scrapes 
• Bruises 
• Cuts 
• Paralysis 
• Death