To cancel the new trampoline?

[ChampagneWorries]

Dd 8 has been asking for a trampoline for around 2 years. I’ve always said no due to the injury aspect of them but then i came across springfree trampolines. They claim to have eliminated 90% of the injuries children have on trampolines so i decided that maybe i was being over cautious and i should let her have one.

I also have a ds who is nearly 4 but his head is larger than the proportion of his body and he is 30cm smaller than dd.

I know they will be arguing about the one person at a time thing and i am worried about one of them landing funny and causing a significant injury to themselves (more so ds due to the proportion of his head and body)

I know plenty of children have them with no injuries etc.

I ordered a springfree trampoline last night and then after a few hours i decided it wasn't a good idea and have rang to cancel it this morning.

The lady on the phone wanted to know why i wanted to cancel so i explained about ds and the worry about one of them landing funny and causing a significant injury to themselves.

She said there was alot of misinformation online about trampolines and really did the hard sell!

Am i a kill joy?
Am i being over cautious?

*was by far! Despite being knocked out cold one time, and landing in a ditch on my head another time, the riding accidents gave me far less severe injuries.

We have had a trampoline since the kids were tiny. With a cover for the springs and a net. I think you are being over cautious.

I know someone that works in paediatric A&E. she won't get her kids a trampoline!

I also know of 2 proper bone sticking out through skin injuries that have happened on school trampolines (2 different schools)

best not let them play football, climb, horseride, run.....or even cross the road. Best to keep them safely inside so they become screen damaged and obese, as well as socially inept, but safe from any possible injury from physical play.

I have 3 boys. You’d probably have a heart attack if you saw them on our trampoline. But I’m used to them being active. To be honest for us, it’s been the most used thing in our garden and zero injuries. Children get injured doing all sorts. You have to weigh up if the risk is worth it for your situation. Of course orthopaedic surgeons etc are going to see a lot of these types of injuries. It goes with the territory. Just as in winter they see a lot of broken bones from slipping on ice, like I did many a moon ago. I don’t avoid it, I’m just a bit more cautious on footwear and if I need to go out. You do what’s best for you.

I am a very very cautious mum. But my boys have a trampoline. You need to supervise if they are playing together as they can make some stupid games but they never had any accidents. They are in their teens now and still enjoy it.

If my kids want to jump up and down they get a skipping rope

But do these surgeons, physios drive cars?

We have had a trampoline for many years, my two dds have had worse accidents on their bikes than what they ever did on the trampoline.

There is an element of danger, just be sensible, put down the ground rules, eliminate as much danger as possible without taking away the fun.

My friend is a physio and her son showed great gymnastic skill from a very young age, went to a gym club and progressed through the stages really quickly, he is now 19, she always said she had such a dilemma, as a physio with the stuff that they get the kids to do, was totally against her training and what a young body should not be put through, but he got so much joy from it.

Too many broken legs for me. I think everyone that I know that has a trampoline has had at least one trip to A&E because of it. So no trampolines here.

I’m in two minds. I think my children would love one and we’ve got a climbing frame which is a hazard in of itself. However, seeing how controlled teachers are re the trampoline in gymnastics makes me wonder. They are much more chilled about a child falling off a beam than they are about the trampoline.

Your being ridiculous. Get a net round the trampoline. Kids will b kids. You cant wrap them in cotton wool

You're being too cautious OP, there's risk with all sorts of things children do. Riding bikes, rollerblading, etc. My 6 and 8yo have had a 12ft trampoline since youngest was 2 and neither has had a serious injury and they go on together every time, jumping and wrestling and generally playing together. It's been a godsend during this lockdown year. So long as the springs are covered and there is a net and the net must always be zipped shut-its saved many a launching child.

In the 4 years we have had it, not a single trip to A&E

Paeds A&E nurse here - I’m usually the kind of person who just let kids get on with stuff (if they injure themselves they’ll learn!) but the only thing I won’t have is a trampoline. I’ve seen life changing neck/back injuries and really nasty leg fractures. Along with the usual minor head injuries and leg injuries.

I’m not a particularly risk averse person, but the injuries (while not highly likely to happen) are often very nasty. I’ve seen less nasty injuries from bikes/scooters etc

yes you are being over cautious but the woman is also not telling the truth!

Use the trampoline properly and the chance of injury is small though still possible but no kid uses it properly!! Luckily kids are still springy and bouncy at the age so big damage is not likely.

I did trampolining on those huge ones with the massive gaps, giant springs and the huge holes in this cross weave that could rip a toe off if you didnt have good socks. I saw a lot of accidents but most were minor. I never had one at all (though did fall out a tree and snap my arm in half - only fell 3 ft! and then i slipped over last year and broken my ankle walking to school so accidents happen whatever you do). Kids mend a lot faster than adults as they are still growing and much more flexible which helps them get hurt less.

Kids have accidents, they break bits, scrape bits and cut stuff - it's part of growing up and finding your limits. So i'm of the - let them have fun and grow and make mistakes ilk. I know kids that have broken their arms and legs at school in the playground so your kids can either have fun and probably not get hurt, or not have fun and probably get hurt doing something else. Breaking my arm never stopped me climbing trees - soon as that cast was off i was right back up there, just more carefully!

I would let them play on it but they follow your rules or they get off.

My two (now 20 and 22) have had a trampoline since the youngest was 5. The first one was a 12’ round one, with a safety net and covered springs, which was upended and twisted during a really bad storm. The second was an oval 14x 10’, again with safety net and covered springs. They used it (together) until two years ago, when the youngest went to university- then we passed it onto another family.

We had rules; it was as safe as them playing anywhere else.

And I loved it too.

Those of you who mention you had rules... was the rules that no moves other than simple bouncing?

When i spoke to the lady at springfree she said that as there was plenty of jumping space on the trampoline i had ordered and due to the jumping points it has then my two could bounce at the same time 🤔

They do showrooms with them in for you to try which you have to sign a wavier form before anyone goes on them.

Springfree are saying their trampolines are suitable from 2 years old not the 6 years old claim that states on many online articles.

What i don't understand is... if trampolines are as safe as people claim them to be and springfree claim to be, why do you have to sign a wavier before you go on them?

You don't you sign a wavier when you test out a bike or scooter for example?

I would say being over cautious

I would like one for my own core strength but im too heavy for them at the min (i need to lose a stone before im at springfree max weight limit)

I don’t know anyone who works in medicine who have/would have one in their garden- they’re known to be incredibly unsafe. However, I also know lots of families who have them (always with a net, that’s surely the most basic of safety elements) who have never had a problem. I’m sure without seatbelts millions would be fine going in the car too...

My children would like a trampoline but my husband says no because of injuries. To be fair a lot of my friends children have had varying injuries because of trampolines. One broke her thigh bone! Our garden is also very exposed and windy so I'm not sure how long one would last. You are probably being over cautious. I hate watching mine climb trees , jump off walls and balance at heights too 🙈

I don’t know anyone who works in medicine who have/would have one in their garden- they’re known to be incredibly unsafe

I know plenty of medical people who have them. A&E docs etc only see the bad outcomes so they are biased, obviously. They don't see the millions of healthy happy uninjured kids with trampolines!

OP, there are a million really good ways to develop your core strength and your cardiovascular fitness without a very expensive and dangerous toy.

My kids and I are all very fit without the use of a trampoline. We walk miles every day, we do (between us, pre-covid) weight training, karate, rugby, ballet, spin and many gym classes. Even in covid we still do ballet, resistance training, long walks and light cardio from home. The only equipment needed is a few resistance bands and ideally a gym mat and some light weights. Wobble boards and gym balls are also great exercise and fun and cost a fraction of a trampoline. And don't require a waiver.

You can develop your core strength easily with simple exercises such as planks, crunches and leg raises. Fitness is far simpler than people would like you to believe, especially when it is in their financial interests for you to think that.

Perhaps a medic can explain because I cannot remember what it was precisely, but the medics who I spoke to who were against trampolines were not against them just because of serious injury.
There was something about the long term effect on the joints, especially the hip joint.
All I know is that I was a fully paid up member of "a few bumps and bruises is all a part of childhood" association, and felt anyone who didn't let their child on a trampoline was mollycoddling them until I heard this.