HOP, SKIP, AND A FRACTURE?

Your patient proudly mentions the new backyard trampoline, complete with a safety net. Do you congratulate them?

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1. Counselling Conundrum: a real question from a patient

2. Concise Conclusion: a straight-forward patient-friendly answer 

3. Quick Wrap-up 

Clearly, there are nuances that may not be captured in this format. The goal here is to provide you with helpful counselling tips which often draw from multiple sources or those which are not commonly accessed by busy healthcare providers serving the community.

Counselling Conundrum: "We just bought a trampoline for the backyard, and it came with a safety net and padding. Is it safe for my 8 year old to use?"

Concise Conclusion: Unfortunately, no. The Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) both advise against trampolines at home, even with nets, padding and adult supervision. If your child is going to jump anyway, keep it to one jumper at a time with no flips or somersaults.

Quick Wrap-up: CPS states there is no safe way to use a trampoline at home, and that injuries happen even with supervision and enclosures. The AAP strongly discourages home use and notes that nets and padding do not prevent injuries on the trampoline mat itself. Most injuries occur in children aged 5 to 14, and common injuries include fractures, dislocations, and head or neck injuries. The most common mechanisms are falling on the trampoline, landing incorrectly and colliding with another jumper, which is why a net alone does not solve the problem. The AAP also advises that children under 6 years should not use trampolines. For families who choose to keep one, the AAP suggests a level surface away from hazards, one jumper at a time, no flips, adult supervision and checking that their homeowner's insurance covers trampoline injuries. The same cautions apply to trampoline parks and friends' backyards. Suggest urgent assessment after any head strike, neck or back pain, numbness or tingling, or inability to bear weight.

Dive Deeper

1) Trampolines: Think before bouncing, Canadian Paediatric Society

2) Trampoline Safety in Childhood and Adolescence, AAP policy statement

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