It's all fun and games till the ambulance arrives!!
My version:
It's all fun and games until someone breaks their neck.
And it does happen. At the lake where I go running on a regular basis there is a guy who in the warmer months sits in the sun in his motorized wheelchair -- he has only minimal function of his hand muscles (as well as normal function of his head and face muscles) but otherwise can not move his arms or legs at all. Turns out he broke his spinal cord in the neck leaving him paralyzed from the lower neck down when he was jumping on a trampoline as a teenager. Fortunately for him he apparently broke his lower neck as he can breath on his own, in contrast to Christopher Reeves who broke his upper neck (horse jumping accident) and was dependent on a ventilator to breathe in addition to being almost completely paralyzed.
Sorry about the pessimistic perspective. But in my job I sometimes work with people who are paralyzed from neck spinal cord injuries and am impressed by how devastating such an injury can be. (PM me if you want to hear more information.)
Fortunately for him he apparently broke his lower neck as he can breath on his own, in contrast to Christopher Reeves who broke his upper neck (horse jumping accident) and was dependent on a ventilator to breathe in addition to being almost completely paralyzed.
Fortunately for him he apparently broke his lower neck as he can breath on his own, in contrast to Christopher Reeves who broke his upper neck (horse jumping accident) and was dependent on a ventilator to breathe in addition to being almost completely paralyzed.
Lesson here: Trampolines are safer than horses.
Good point! But if you really want to live on the edge you should ride the horse while it jumps on a trampoline. Coming to the X Games and Gravity Games next year, so stay tuned.
We had one for a few years. Was a Jump King. Very good quality, But I believe they are no longer in business.
Our kids loved it. It had a net around it so no one could fall out or off of it. We always followed all the safety rules only allowed one kid on it at a time always kept the door flap snapped shut. No Inuries to report. Only reason we got rid of it is because we are moving and it can not come along.
My daughter busted her lip on a relative's trampoline when she was 4 or 5 yrs old. This actually required minor surgery years later.
My kids are still of trampoline age. They wanted one this past Christmas. I researched and found too much info against owning one. Also, check your insurance. From what I saw in my policy, you have to disclose that you have a trampoline. I'm sure the rates go up if you have one.
I was still on the fence about getting one this year. I researched more and found that if you do HAVE TO HAVE ONE...you should get the BEST AND SAFEST on the market...AND follow all trampoline rules. The best and safest was very expensive. I also read the ruled to the kids....the main rule listed several times....ONLY ONE PERSON ON THE TRAMPOLINE AT A TIME....the kids protested this rule b/c that would be NO FUN! The trampoline idea pretty much went away at that point !
My cousins had a trampoline which we used often(many kids all at once). It was placed flush with the ground in a large hole with some wood decking around the edges. At least if you fell off you didn't fall the extra 3' or so from the level of the trampoline to the ground. But the wood didn't feel that great! Of course you have to be OK with a rather large pond in your back yard after it rains.
Trampolines = fun = danger = problems. :(
eta: 1 at a time!!! That's no fun. How about two kids bouncing one other kid extra high...? :)
While I don't have one now, my best friend all through elementary school had one, so by proxy, I had one. The trampoline he had was a more gymnastics style one, so it was rectangular, and definitely didn't have any of those nets. Rectangular trampolines seem to enable you to get far more height, as well. His dad was also a former gymnast and trampoline coach, so the two of us got a good deal of instruction on acrobatics. Through all the years of our activities, as well as his sister and her friends, nobody was ever injured at the property. This isn't to say that they aren't inherently dangerous. What I'm saying is that through proper supervision and use they can be exceptionally fun and great for athleticism. Both of us competed in football and track for years and nothing tired you out quite like a long stint on that trampoline. Riding a bike is dangerous if you do it recklessly, yet most consider it a seminal event for children. It's also wise to remove the jumping surface for the winter season if you get cold temperatures and snow, or so I was instructed. It was always a big exciting event to bring the surface out of storage again.
Years ago my 5yr old was jumping on a family member's trampoline. Busted her mouth and required minor surgery. No trampolines for me !
EDIT: However, if you want it...follow instructions...get a net...keep it away from brick....and only ONE PERSON ON IT AT A TIME....
Originally posted by DrAchoo:
Well, the family is begging for a trampoline. Even though we had one at the house when I was a teen, the pediatrician in me absolutely shudders at the thought of owning one. That being said, it's probably like trying to hold back the tide, no?
So I'm looking for namebrands of sturdy, well-constructed trampolines. I may as well get one that's solid and well built. Most have the safety net feature now and I'd appreciate input on that since those came around after my trampoline days.
I can't say one way or the other about them. The risk is there, but the rewards in learning balance, as well as having a lot of fun and exercise are great too. I broke my collar bone, and probably also my skull by doing a back flip on one in the high school gym, and landing shoulder first on the gym floor when I was a teen. They were a new thing here in the States at that time, about 1964. My grandson has one, and the neighborhood kids all keep it busy at least once a week.
We had a trampoline. My boys loved it. They never got hurt on it. Had it for years. They didn't have a net.
I don't think y'all want to know all the tricks they did on it.
really? you had to add in the spam?! its not needed here....
ANYWAYS!!!
when i was like 5-8 i cant remember specifically when, cousin had a trampoline and i hit my nose on the outer metal frame peice. all that came about from it was a swolen bruised nose. LOL! ya that made for a pretty picture...
but i do love them anyways, i just wont try any flips. just love jumping. my mom has always refused to get one, but i guess thats ok now, now that im 17. i would deffinitly recommend getting one with a net around it. it would assist in less injury. atleast to me logically it would. I dont get on one much since, only one person i know has one, but when i have the chance i love to get on one. :)
My daughter landed awkward and broke her ankle on one with a net.
My sister had one at ground level with a big hole dug under it which was about as safe as you could get.
We purchased one from our neighbour just before we put up the fences between the houses. It was a 3/4 olympic trampoline and that long a go that there was no mats and no fence around it. I think in the whole time we had it there was two biggers accidents on the trampoline. One was from two kids being on it and knocking heads and the other was an unco kid having a go and he got a bit of an egg on his head when he gave the metal edge a tap. A few bumps and bruises. Accidents associated with when the kids would sit around the edge waiting for their turn and without a back on the sitting rail a couple of them fell back onto the ground when mucking around with the other kids also awaiting their turn.
My 2 year old son (I don't think he was even 2) managed to get on it. One of the rules was 'if you could get on it you could play on it'. He would bounce around and look like he was going to go over the edge all the time. It was freaking me out so I just had to leave him there with the other kids and not watch. He didn't fall off.
Main rule is 'only one person at a time' as one person can propel the other off the tramp when bouncing. If there was a few around the edge waiting their turn the egg timer would come out. Next person in line got to hold it. Everyone got 3 minutes to do their stuff and then it was the next persons turn - this saved a lot or arguments, the egg timer doesn't lie!!
If I was going to buy one today I would once again get the biggest rectangular one I could as this allows room for corrections when doing back flips etc. Cheers
Oh thought I would add that my nephew was doing this as a sport and competed for state titles. Did very well for his age group.
