Safety & First Aid The Dangers of Buying a Trampoline for Your Kids By Vincent Iannelli, MD facebook Vincent Iannelli, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician and fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Iannelli has cared for children for more than 20 years. Learn about our editorial process Vincent Iannelli, MD Medically reviewed by a board-certified physician Updated on February 03, 2020 Print Karl Weatherly/Getty Images Home trampolines are popular with children and you often see them in the backyards of many families. Unfortunately, like ATVs and BB guns, they can also be dangerous. Dangers of Buying a Trampoline According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission and American Academy of Pediatrics, in 2014, there were 104,691 hospital emergency room-treated injuries associated with trampolines, mostly in young children and teens. Many of these trampoline injuries occurred when: Two or more people on the trampoline collide togetherSomeone lands on a trampoline spring or the frame of the trampolineA person who is jumping or doing stunts lands wrongSomeone falls off the trampolineSomeone jumps off the trampolineChildren were using home trampolines And tragically, since 1990, there have been at least 6 deaths of children under age 15 involving trampolines. How Trampoline Injuries Happen You just have to look at some recent trampoline accidents to see how easy it is for kids to get hurt while playing on a trampoline. Recent trampoline accidents and injuries include: A 5-year-old who fell off a trampoline and suffered a skull fractureA 4-year-old who broke his leg (fibula and tibia) while jumping on a trampolineA 6-year-old who broke his elbow (supracondylar fracture) when his cousin fell on his arm while they were jumping togetherA 3-year-old who developed a subdural hematoma after falling off a trampoline and hitting his headAn 11-year-old who fractured her ankle while jumping on a trampolineA 12-year-old developed a concussion after she hit her head with her knee while jumping on a trampoline Most of these injuries didn't involve falling off the trampoline, which is how parents typically think accidents occur. And tragically, children sometimes die on trampolines. Home Trampoline Buying Advice To help avoid injuries from trampolines, you should follow the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and simply never "purchase a home trampoline or allow children to use home trampolines" and don't make trampolines a part of outdoor playgrounds or play equipment. Keep in mind that even in a supervised training program, children under age 6 years should not use trampolines. So the basic advice for a parent that is considering buying a home trampoline is that you should simply not do it. Trampoline Safety If you must have a home trampoline, you should: Allow only one person to jump on the trampoline at the same timeEncourage users to jump in the center of the trampoline matNot attempt or allow your kids to do somersaults because if they land on their head or neck, it can cause paralysisMake sure that the springs, hooks, and frame of the trampoline are completely covered by shock-absorbing padsNot allow kids under 6 years of age to use a full-size trampolineMake sure kids have adult supervision when they are trampolining to make sure they follow safety rules and in case they get hurtUse a trampoline enclosure, which can help prevent kids from falling off the trampoline, but won't prevent other injuries and provide a false sense of security for parentsPlace the trampoline in a well-lit area, at ground level, away from any structures with which your child could collide if he falls off, including trees, walls, and fences, etc.Make sure your trampoline is anchored to the ground and that the ground is flatInstall an impact absorbing safety surface material around the trampoline, such as wood chips, sand, or mulch, etc. Concrete is not a good protective surfacing material if your child falls off the trampoline. It is also important to regularly check the trampoline to make sure that it is in good working condition and that it hasn't been involved in a safety recall. Keep in mind a trampolines padding and enclosure net will likely last longer than the frame and mat and will need to be replaced at some point during the life of the trampoline. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get expert tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Trampoline Safety Alert Consumer Product Safety Commission, Injury Statistics Additional Reading Randall, Loder T. MD. Fractures From Trampolines: Results From a National Database, 2002 to 2011. Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics: October/November 2014 - Volume 34 - Issue 7 - p 683–690 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Trampolines and Trampoline Safety: Position Statement. September 2010. American Academy of Pediatrics Policy Statement. Trampoline Safety in Childhood and Adolescence. PEDIATRICS Volume 130, Number 4, October 2012