How to avoid injury

The onset of spring is guaranteed to see family trampolines being dusted off and children attending hospital with trampoline related injuries.1 We analysed 50 cases presenting to the accident and emergency department at this hospital over six weeks in comparison with the safety guidelines of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) (table⇓).2 The factors are worth highlighting for everyone’s benefit.

The table⇑ shows that the most important factor associated with trampoline injury is having many users on a trampoline at one time. RoSPA reports that the lightest person is five times more likely to be injured. We have found that the severity of the injury also increases with the mismatch between child and adult weights. For example, a child of 20 kg can experience a force equivalent to a 3.5 m fall when bouncing with an adult of 80 kg (S Menelaws et al, spring scientific conference of the College of Emergency Medicine, April 2009).

Adult supervision is crucial in preventing trampoline injuries. The most influential role of a supervising adult is to ensure safety guidelines are followed, exuberance is controlled, and help is provided with setting up and dismounting from the trampoline. We note that children have been hurt while being supervised or bouncing with adults who have been drinking at a summer garden party, for example. Adults, please note that lager, wine, and trampolines do not mix.