In the wake of a recent study, physicians warn that indoor trampoline park injuries may be an “emerging public health concern.”
The study, published recently in Injury Prevention, notes that during a 6-month period, 40 children needed medical treatment at just one trauma center following a visit to an indoor trampoline park.
The study authors reviewed the medical records of these children, who were under the age of 17 and received medical treatment at a children’s emergency care department between July 2014 and January 2015, notes a media release from BMJ.
From the data, 55% of the patients were girls, their average age was 10, and the youngest patient was 1 year old.
Most of the injuries (33) occurred while the child was on the trampoline and were predominantly caused by a failed landing (18 cases). However, in eight of the cases, the injury occurred because several people of different sizes were using the trampoline at the same time.
In addition, the release notes, 52.5% of the children were injured while performing simple jumping activities, but five were attempting somersaults or flips at the time. And six were the result of an awkward landing.
Most of the injuries (55%) were bruises or sprains, but more than one-third were fractures (elbows and ankles). Five children required surgery and a hospital admission as a result of their injuries, the release continues.
The authors note that the study sample was small and that children with more severe injuries might have gone to the hospital because it is a recognized trauma center, therefore skewing the severity of injuries they treated.
However, they write, “The study none the less demonstrates generalizable messages on potentially unique injury mechanisms at indoor trampoline centers and highlights an important emerging public health issue.”
[Source(s); BMJ, Science Daily]
