Don't buy a trampoline (according to this article) Post Reply

[Mistletoe]

Hmmmm not sure I agree

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healt ... ctors.html

[SamG]

My kids are entertained for hours on the trampoline - I won't be getting rid of ours.

[Joeyanna]

Honestly, why is everyone desperate to wrap kids up in cotton wool or stop them from participating in fun activities due to the small risk! Reading this article surely the answer is simple.....adult supervision and one at a time, not take them all away as a potential death trap!

[specialk1215]

Hmmmm..... We have a trampoline in our garden and we have strict rules around it: Never jump without it being zipped up; no pushing or shoving, no flips, etc. The kids know that if the rules are broken they lose the trampoline for a few days. My kids absolutely love it and we love it as it is one of the few things that keeps them outside and active.

I'd like to know if anyone else is successful at the 'only one child at a time rule'. I think if we stuck to that rule, the trampoline would collect dust. Has anyone managed to really stick to only one child at a time on the trampoline???

[nell65]

My neighbour's daughter was happily bouncing on a trampoline at a friends, she fell off as she was getting off it and broke her arm. She's still in a plaster cast. To be honest I think I would not get one for my daughter -- there have been a lot of reports about them causing accidents.

[rugby]

Can confirm amongst our 3 boys, we have had two broken wrist from trampolines, aged 10 and 14 at the time.

Biggest issue is having more than one child on at once, and just messing, not doing co-ordinated jumps etc.

Nothing stupid just gentle mucking around ..... plaster for 4 weeks - twice

Not very serious injuries but quite disruptive to school sport etc

[rugby]

interesting stuff in the first comment at the bottom of the article

[lucypaul]

You should check out sinking your trampoline which is inexpensive and far more visually attractive in your garden, quite a few people in the area have used www.sunkentrampolines.co.uk to do the work - they have done ours and did a fabulous job, and they are the only company to do this. You get rid of the really ugly unsightly netting, and can surround your trampoline with easygrass or rubber matting, or even decking as in our case. Our 2 children (one now 14) STILL continue to use it all the time, and are forever making up new games. It is FAR safer than the alternative, we have never had an accident in 8 years. No brainer, check out their website.

[popeye123]

You should check out sinking your trampoline which is inexpensive and far more visually attractive in your garden, quite a few people in the area have used Sunken Trampolines to do the work - they have done ours and did a fabulous job, and they are the only company to do this. You get rid of the really ugly unsightly netting, and can surround your trampoline with easygrass or rubber matting, or even decking as in our case. Our 2 children (one now 14) STILL continue to use it all the time, and are forever making up new games. It is FAR safer than the alternative, we have never had an accident in 8 years. No brainer, check out their website.

I've seen some of these installed and they look amazing, with covers that go over the trampoline when its not in use that looks like real grass, and good quality netting for when they are in use. I appreciate that no one wants their child to get injured, but can we really wrap them in cotton wool. I said to my wife recently that maybe helmets on our trampoline would be a good idea, and she looked at me like I had 2 heads - hah! 

[Jonny Dyson Property Consultants]

This may seem like an odd idea, but when we removed the net from our trampoline our girls behaved completely differently (better).  With the net on they would often use it to bounce off, run around and generally act the fool, and as a result my youngest broke her arm some years ago.  With the net removed they are much much more cautious, fully aware that if they lark around too much one or both of them will fall off.  We never have more than two people on it (although I would far prefer it if it was only one at a time), and it really does provide an invaluable opportunity for them to take loads of exercise outdoors.

I can imagine how many would think that removing the netting would be counter-intuitive, however for us it really has made a massive difference, as well as being (slightly) less of an eyesore.

Jonny

[Vista321]

I used to be a trampoline coach and also work in the NHS.  So, have seen a lot of injuries from trampolines and some are falls from height without correct netting or spotting (where you have people standing around the edges to push you back on) or more frequently, due to having more than one person on at a time.  If there is one thing you can do to prevent injuries, it is enforcing the ONE PERSON AT A TIME rule.  If you go to Flip Out in Wandsworth, they forbid 'double bouncing' which is the same thing.  Double bouncing risks contact injuries but also can affect the bounce on the trampoline bed for the other person, leading to loss of control.   Sunken trampolines are safer but still need supervision and no double bouncing.
Hope that helps and prevents a few injuries!
 

[gemima]

Hello,

Can you tell me why a sunken trampoline is safer please?  Would consider getting one.

Many thanks