backyard trampoline?

[Pea-n-Me]

I don't see how a "sunken" trampoline will prevent injuries. You still have the "concrete" effect that the attorney explained, and you can still fall off and sustain neck and other injuries from jumping, or something like a screw imbedded in your leg, etc. I think it's a false sense of security.

 

[bumbershoot]

My aunt and uncle's is sunk ~

Oh...so so close to big huge rocks....



My brother climbed on our garage roof 100 times, and on the 101st time he fell. Into a big roll of barbed wire that was being stored in what used to be our chicken coop. Hurt himself, badly, in a place that was too private for even his sister to really hear about.

Just because many people did things and didn't die or get injured while doing them doesn't mean those things were safe; just means those people were lucky!

 

[scrapquitler]

Correct. If my kid breaks his arm on your trampoline, my insurance company will go after your insurance company without my involvement. It's not as simple as me just saying, "Oh, I won't sue." Unless I pay out of pocket for all treatment, my medical insurance provider is going to go looking for an at-fault party with deep pockets.

Exactly. Did you ever notice the signs all over the doctors offices and the ER that say something like "If this injury is the result of an accident or workplace injury, please inform us before your treatment begins". The forms they have you fill out also asks this. And usually, after you have treatment for an 'injury' a separate company sends a survey asking about how and where the the injury took place. And you have to sign that you are reporting the truth.

 

[pocomom]

There are alot of ancedotal stories about injuries, and most are from some time ago, and involve doing something against the rules or with an unsafe trampolining set up. In my own story I shared the little boy broke his ankle , but they were jumping on an old trampoline with no enclosure, several kids, an dI believe they were even "body slamming " each other for fun... and he landed on the springs. They are making and have made improvements - but it is true that a trampoline isn't a risk free device.
But I have to say my little 7 year old girl climbs tree, skiis, horseback rides, rides a bike, swims, hikes in the wilderness, jumps on our trampoline, plays on our very tall playset....and she broke her nose (and needed surgery!) laying down on our low hammock while reading. It had 6 inches of mulch under it. She leaned over trying to get comfy and the hammock tilted, she rolled out, and landed nose first on a pretty rock she had discovered and just put there before she laid down.
Now I won't give up our hammock but it doesn't mean I will judge those who don't think it is appropriate for them to have... But I do think as a soicety we are getting far too concerned with our kid's physical safety and not concerned enough with them getting activity and a chance to explore... I know in my house growing up , mom would kick us out in the morning and tell us to be home for dinner. We would play in the woods all day, sometimes not in a safe way ... but I think I learned alot and we were healthier for it.

 

[C-CMom]

I'll admit I didn't read all replies, so sorry if someone has already mentioned...

The American Academy of Pediatrics Advises Against Recreational Trampoline Use
September 2012

An updated report by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) cautions against home trampoline use, and provides updated data on the number of and types of injuries caused by trampolines. Since publication of the previous AAP policy statement in 1999 (reaffirmed in 2006), the key recommendation remains consistent against recreational trampoline use, and includes data on injuries unique to trampolines.

In the updated policy statement, “Trampoline Safety in Childhood and Adolescence,” in the October 2012 Pediatrics (published online Sept. 24), the AAP provides pediatricians with guidelines on patterns of injury with trampoline use, the efficacy of current safety measures, and unique injuries attributed to trampoline use.

More info can be found at their website - just Google the title.

 

[Blessedwith3boys]

Of course they're dangerous! So is walking down the road, riding bikes, skating, swimming, riding roller coasters etc! My kids have a trampoline and LOVE it! Play on it everyday! Best money every spent! But....do I worry, of course! We just said a prayer, bought the thing and now Trust God with their lives!

 

[MistressMerryweather]

I don't see how a "sunken" trampoline will prevent injuries. You still have the "concrete" effect that the attorney explained, and you can still fall off and sustain neck and other injuries from jumping, or something like a screw imbedded in your leg, etc. I think it's a false sense of security.

I don't. I mean, I still don't think they are safe, but falling from a four foot in the air jump is less likely to cause injury, than say, falling from a four foot jump and the additional 4 foot to the ground.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I don't. I mean, I still don't think they are safe, but falling from a four foot in the air jump is less likely to cause injury, than say, falling from a four foot jump and the additional 4 foot to the ground.

If you read the statistics, many injuries are not from falling "off". They occur on the trampoline itself.

 

[MistressMerryweather]

If you read the statistics, many injuries are not from falling "off". They occur on the trampoline itself.

I agree, but that would still make it a bit more safe being sunk than not. If only just a bit. It wouldn't make a difference to me either way. We won't have one due to the types of injuries that they cause.

 

[Mama Who]

But I have to say my little 7 year old girl climbs tree, skiis, horseback rides, rides a bike, swims, hikes in the wilderness, jumps on our trampoline, plays on our very tall playset....and she broke her nose (and needed surgery!) laying down on our low hammock while reading. It had 6 inches of mulch under it. She leaned over trying to get comfy and the hammock tilted, she rolled out, and landed nose first on a pretty rock she had discovered and just put there before she laid down.
Now I won't give up our hammock but it doesn't mean I will judge those who don't think it is appropriate for them to have... But I do think as a soicety we are getting far too concerned with our kid's physical safety and not concerned enough with them getting activity and a chance to explore... I know in my house growing up , mom would kick us out in the morning and tell us to be home for dinner. We would play in the woods all day, sometimes not in a safe way ... but I think I learned alot and we were healthier for it.

If used properly, I agree that a trampoline is probably no more dangerous than a lot of other things kids do. Unfortunately, the insurance companies disagree, so regardless of what you think or what I think, trampolines can be a very expensive addition to a yard.

 

[squirrel]

Wow some of those stories about jumping off roofs are crazy.

My dad got a liner from a waterbed one summer and filled it with air. We had so much fun jumping on that. My youngest sister fell and broke her arm. Not sure if it was taken after that or not.

 

[Eureka]

We have had a trampoline for about seven years. We have safety netting around it and the kids have been fine, no injuries. It is not sunken but we did have to dig a little to get the supports to be stable in the ground. It's on a grassy area of the yard. The kids have actually kind of outgrown it but it was a godsend when they were 5-8 years old. They could jump for hours, giving me time to work, cook dinner or just a breather. We didn't need any more insurance that I am aware of.

 

[LoriNSC]

My kids (10 and 7) got one with the enclosure from Santa this year. Even my 22 year old son jumps on it. We just set rules-number of people on it at once, always zip up the net (no falling out), etc. Best $ we spent. It's fun for the whole family. It didn't effect our insurance either with the enclosure. Much cheaper than paying those prices to go to a bouncy house place all the time. And they are supervised when on it. Our lab husky mixed dog loves to jump on it too. Lol

 

[JeRmS]

Wow some of those stories about jumping off roofs are crazy.

Not the only crazy thing we did "back in our days" ... we rode bikes with no brakes and no helmets, we had BB Guns, we had Bottle Rocket wars, we played concrete tackle football, we rode dirtbikes and 3 wheelers and plenty other reckless things ... did we get hurt, yes ... did we have fun, HECK YES!!!

When I was a kid, there were lessons to be learned ... if you stuck your finger in the electrical socket and got shocked ... you'd never do it again!

Get a trampoline, let your kids have fun ... if they get hurt then so be it .... it happens!

 

[hsmamato2]

If used properly, I agree that a trampoline is probably no more dangerous than a lot of other things kids do. Unfortunately, the insurance companies disagree, so regardless of what you think or what I think, trampolines can be a very expensive addition to a yard.

I base our decision on what insurance companies say,b/c we have no choice. when you get homeowners they ask you this question,"is there a trampoline in your yard?" If the answer is yes, you pay a LOT more. So we don't have one. I'm not overly scared about every little fall,my kids climbed trees,rode bikes, built treehouses etc etc- but so do all the kids in the neighborhood,and they also felt free to come to our yard when we weren't home to play on our swings,etc. I KNEW the tramp. would be a hazard for that reason alone. If some neighbor kid falls out of my tree, ok, homeowners ins. can deal with it. If they get hurt on a tramp.? well,that's where I know we'll have legal issues. Not worth it. If you've ever had a parent call you and claim injury at your home, you know the horrible feeling I'm talking about here. NOT WORTH IT. I've also had some friends being sued,and they thought they would lose their home over a stupid claim. Not something I want to go through personally.

 

[jackie101]

We have had one for years and the kids love it! Some adults I know have had fun on it too! Our insurance is ok with it as long as we have an enclosure. We are definitely not wrap your kids in bubble wrap type of parents, we have a pool, a trampoline, bikes, roller skates, gas powered go-kart, we like the kids to spend time outside and active, no video games all summer vacation long. We grew up not that long ago and no one worried about bike helmets and pool alarms, I think as a society we go a little crazy with this! Letting your kids eat McDonalds regularly and playing Call of Duty I think is way more damaging to our kids!

 

[jackie101]

Of course they're dangerous! So is walking down the road, riding bikes, skating, swimming, riding roller coasters etc! My kids have a trampoline and LOVE it! Play on it everyday! Best money every spent! But....do I worry, of course! We just said a prayer, bought the thing and now Trust God with their lives!

 

[Deb & Bill]

If society wasn't so lawsuit happy, trampolines would probably be okay because people would take responsibility for their own kids. A bicycle isn't an attractive nuisance. Skates and skateboards aren't an attractive nuisance. Trampolines are.

 

[DSNY4ever]

I always wanted a trampoline and my parents never let me get one.

We have a family member that had an injury on a trampoline when he was in his 20's and has been on disability ever since and has never really been able to work.

We also knew a family that their daughter got hurt at her best friend's house, they sued the family and never spoke to them again. I don't know the whole story, but the whole thing sounded really bad and I think my Dad was very paranoid about neighborhood kids getting hurt at our house.

So, yeah...that is why my parents never let me have one. But I bounced on them at friend's houses still, so I could have been injured there.

 

[basketrn]

I'll admit I didn't read all replies, so sorry if someone has already mentioned...

The American Academy of Pediatrics Advises Against Recreational Trampoline Use
September 2012

An updated report by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) cautions against home trampoline use, and provides updated data on the number of and types of injuries caused by trampolines. Since publication of the previous AAP policy statement in 1999 (reaffirmed in 2006), the key recommendation remains consistent against recreational trampoline use, and includes data on injuries unique to trampolines.

In the updated policy statement, “Trampoline Safety in Childhood and Adolescence,” in the October 2012 Pediatrics (published online Sept. 24), the AAP provides pediatricians with guidelines on patterns of injury with trampoline use, the efficacy of current safety measures, and unique injuries attributed to trampoline use.

More info can be found at their website - just Google the title.

I agree. I've been a RN/NP in a level 1 trauma center emergency department for over 13 years. Between trampolines and ATV's, I have seen some of the worst injuries in adults and kids. Just my opinion, but I wouldn't have one.