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Paediatric injury from indoor trampoline centres
Christopher S Mulligan1,2,3, Susan Adams1,2,3, Julie Brown3,4
1The Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.
Insights
Indoor trampoline parks cause significant injuries in children, often from tricks or multiple jumpers. Prevention strategies are needed to improve safety standards for these popular recreational facilities.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Sports Injury Prevention
- Public Health
Background:
- Indoor trampoline parks are rapidly growing in popularity.
- These venues are becoming a notable source of pediatric injuries.
- Existing data on trampoline park injuries is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the incidence and characteristics of injuries sustained at indoor trampoline parks among children.
- To identify common injury mechanisms and types.
- To compare injury patterns with domestic trampoline use.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study design.
- Inclusion of children (<17 years) presenting to a pediatric emergency department.
- Data collection via semi-structured interviews and medical record review.
Main Results:
- 40 children presented over a 6-month period, with 55% being female.
- Common injury mechanisms included falls during tricks, awkward landings on obstacles, and multiple users on one trampoline.
- Most frequent injuries were soft tissue injuries (55%) and fractures (37.5%), including one severe cervical injury.
Conclusions:
- Indoor trampoline park injuries differ from domestic trampoline injuries, with most occurring on the trampoline surface.
- Specific injury prevention strategies are required for trampoline parks.
- Collaboration between children, caregivers, and businesses is essential for implementing best practice standards in design and management.
Abstract:
Indoor trampoline parks are increasing as a source of injuries among children. We conducted a prospective cohort study, with semi-structured interview and medical record review, of children aged <17 years presenting to a paediatric emergency department following an injury at an indoor trampoline park. In a 6-month period in 2014, 40 such children (55% female) presented to the department. Common mechanisms were individual jumpers falling while attempting a somersault or trick, landing awkwardly on an obstacle such as a ball or protective padding, and multiple users on a single trampoline. Most sustained soft tissue injuries (n=22, 55%) and fractured bones (n=15, 37.5%). One child sustained an unstable cervical fracture/dislocation. Unlike domestic trampolines, where the majority of injuries occur from falling off, most trampoline-park injuries occur on the trampoline surface. These differences require injury prevention strategies that engage children, carers and businesses to meet best practice design and management standards.
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