JUMPING FOR JOY?
Jump for joy, but prevent
injuries in the process. Be safe on your backyard trampoline
this summer with these facts and safety tips.
July 17, 2002, Warrenville, IL - Trampolines
increasingly have become common additions to the backyard.
Yet, injuries resulting from trampolines have dramatically
increased in the process.
With the data from its September 2000 report, the Consumer
Product Safety Commission (CPSC) found the following:
-
Trampoline injuries almost tripled
in the last decade, from approximately 37,500 in 1991
to almost 100,000 in 1999.
-
Since 1990, the CPSC has received
reports of 11 deaths related to trampoline use.
-
Trampoline injuries accounted for
approximately 63,000 emergency room visits in 1999.
Children 6 to 14 comprised almost two-thirds of the
hospital emergency room injuries, while children under
the age of 6 accounted for roughly 15% of these injuries.
-
Most trampoline-related emergency
room visits result from jumpers colliding with one another,
falling on the trampoline springs or frame, falling
or jumping off the trampoline, or doing stunts.
-
In 1999, injuries to the leg/foot
were reported most frequently, accounting for 40% of
the total. Injuries to the arm/hand accounted for 29%
of injuries, head/face/neck injuries accounted for 20%,
and injuries to the shoulder/trunk were associated with
10% of the total.
"Children want to have fun. The
don't think about the dangers of trampolines. So, adults
need to ensure a safe environment for them," said Dr.
Thomas Kiesler, orthopaedic surgeon and hand specialist
with OAD Orthopaedics, Ltd. Dr. Kiesler cautions, "Too
often, children are left unattended on the backyard trampoline."
A 1999 report on trampoline injuries published in the
American Academy of Pediatrics journal, Pediatrics,
noted that most trampoline injuries were sustained on
home trampolines. The report further noted that thirty
percent of trampoline-related injuries treated in an emergency
department were fractures often resulting in hospitalization
and surgery.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has suggested
the following guidelines for trampoline use:
-
Only one participant should use the
trampoline at a time.
-
Have an adult spotter at all times.
-
Ensure that the trampoline frame
and mat are in good condition.
-
The supporting bars, springs and
the surrounding landing surface should have adequate
protective padding.
-
Somersaults of other high-risk maneuvers
should be avoided.
-
Use the trampoline in a well-lighted
area.
Have fun this summer, but stay safe in the process. For
further information about trampoline safety, refer to
the Consumer Product Safety Commission's website at: www.cpsc.gov.
TOP OF PAGE
|
