Using a safety net and following the safety instructions could prevent half the paediatric trampoline injuries.
BACKGROUND
The number of recreational trampolines in Finnish households has increased. There also appears to be a drastic increase in trampoline-related injuries among paediatric patients. The aim of this study was to quantify and describe trampoline-related injuries in North Finnish paediatric patients.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis of medical data was used in the study, covering children 16 years and younger treated for trampoline-related injuries at Oulu University Hospital over a five-month period of time from May 1 to September 30, 2005. Medical records were reviewed and additional details regarding the injuries were obtained by questionnaire.


RESULTS
Altogether 76 patients were treated for trampoline-related injuries, which represented 13.4 % of all paediatric accidental trauma patients. In 57 accidents (86 %), there had been multiple jumpers on the trampoline. Twenty-five of the injuries (38 %) had occurred on the trampoline, in 25 cases (38 %) a child had fallen off, in 8 cases (12 %) there had been a collision with another jumper and the person had jumped onto a trampoline from a high platform in 5 incidents (8 %). Only 3 children (5 %) hurt themselves on the trampoline when jumping alone. Orthopaedic procedures requiring general anaesthesia were necessary in a total of 31 cases (41 %).


CONCLUSIONS
The study shows that 50 % of traumas (falling off and collisions) could have been avoided by using a safety net and by jumping one at a time. The importance of following safety instructions and the need for a safety net should be emphasised to both the supervising adults and the children.
Rättyä
J
J
Department of Paediatrics, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland. johanna.rattya@fimnet.fi
Serlo
W
W
D000293:Adolescent; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000293:injuries; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012449:Safety; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000293:injuries