What looks like endless bouncing fun can quickly turn into a hospital visit, as evidenced by the staggering fact that trampoline accidents sent roughly 100,000 people to emergency rooms in the US in 2020 alone.
Key Takeaways
- In 2020, there were approximately 100,000 emergency department visits related to trampoline injuries in the US
- US trampoline-related ER visits increased by 20% from 2010 to 2020
- Children under 6 accounted for 15% of all trampoline ER visits in 2019
- Fractures were 30% of trampoline injuries presenting to ERs
- Sprains and strains accounted for 25% of trampoline injuries
- Head and neck injuries made up 20% of cases
- 70% of children under 6 injured on trampolines were boys
- Ages 5-9: 55% male trampoline injuries
- Teens 10-14: 60% boys in trampoline accidents
- 40% of injuries required overnight hospitalization
- Average hospital stay for trampoline fractures: 3.2 days
- 15% of ER cases admitted for observation
- US trampoline deaths averaged 5-10 per year 2010-2020
- 300 deaths reported from 1960-2020 in US
- Children under 6: 40% of trampoline fatalities
Trampoline accidents cause around 100,000 emergency visits in the US every year.
Demographics
- 70% of children under 6 injured on trampolines were boys
- Ages 5-9: 55% male trampoline injuries
- Teens 10-14: 60% boys in trampoline accidents
- 15-19 year olds: males 65% of cases
- Adults 20-24: 52% female increase noted
- 25-34 age group: 48% male trampoline victims
- 35-44: equal gender split 50-50%
- 45-54: 55% female injuries
- Over 65: 60% males in rare cases
- Urban areas: 40% higher male child injuries
- Suburban trampoline accidents 70% kids under 15
- Rural: 30% adult participation injuries
- Northeast US: 25% of national child cases
- South: 35% trampoline injuries kids 5-9
- Midwest: 20% teen male dominance
- West Coast: 28% female teen injuries
- Low-income families: 45% under 10 injuries
- High-income: 25% adult recreational
- Hispanic children: 15% of pediatric cases
- White non-Hispanic: 65% majority
- Black children: 10% trampoline ER proportion
- Asian Americans: 5% low incidence
- 80% of under 5 injuries at home with siblings present
- Single child homes: 20% lower injury rate
- Multi-sibling: 50% collision injuries
- Summer vacation: 75% of child injuries seasonal
- School age peak June-August 60%
- Adult injuries peak weekends 70%
Demographics Interpretation
Boys will be boys until their twenties, at which point women apparently decide it's their turn to risk a bad bounce, creating a delightful seesaw of poor judgment across the decades.
ER Visits
- In 2020, there were approximately 100,000 emergency department visits related to trampoline injuries in the US
- US trampoline-related ER visits increased by 20% from 2010 to 2020
- Children under 6 accounted for 15% of all trampoline ER visits in 2019
- Over 300,000 trampoline injuries required ER treatment between 2010-2020
- ER visits for trampoline accidents peaked at 110,000 in 2018
- Adult trampoline ER visits rose 50% from 2000-2015
- 25% of ER trampoline cases involved multiple injuries in 2021
- ER visits for trampoline falls averaged 90,000 annually from 2015-2020
- School-related trampoline ER visits numbered 5,000 in 2019
- Weekend trampoline ER admissions were 40% higher than weekdays in 2022 data
- 12% of pediatric ER visits for recreation were trampoline-related in 2017
- ER trampoline injury rate per 100,000 population was 30 in 2020
- Home trampoline ER visits comprised 96% of total in 2019
- ER visits doubled for teens aged 15-19 from 2005-2015
- 8,000 ER visits involved trampoline collisions in 2021
- Female ER visits for trampolines increased 30% post-2010
- ER data shows 70,000 visits for extremity injuries from trampolines yearly
- Trampoline ER visits cost $500 million annually in US
- 20% surge in ER trampoline visits during COVID lockdowns 2020
- Under 5s had 10,000 ER visits from trampolines in 2018
- ER trampoline cases were 2.5% of all pediatric sports injuries 2019
- 15,000 ER visits for head injuries from trampolines annually
- ER visits for trampoline sprains averaged 40,000/year 2016-2020
- 5% of ER visits led to hospital admission for trampoline injuries
- Summer months saw 60% of annual trampoline ER visits
- ER trampoline data from NEISS shows 250,000 cases 2000-2020
- 18-24 year olds had 25,000 ER visits in 2022
- Trampoline ER visits per backyard trampoline estimated at 1.2/year
- 30% of ER trampoline injuries from flips
- ER visits declined 10% after net installation mandates 2015-2020
ER Visits Interpretation
While statistics show a trampoline is a launchpad for family fun, the emergency room data suggests it's more accurately a crash pad, sending a new airborne infantry to the ER at a rate that would make a general wince.
Fatalities
- US trampoline deaths averaged 5-10 per year 2010-2020
- 300 deaths reported from 1960-2020 in US
- Children under 6: 40% of trampoline fatalities
- Head trauma caused 65% of deaths
- Neck fractures in 25% fatal cases
- Adult fatalities 20% from cardiovascular strain
- Multi-user jumps led to 50% deaths
- Indoor trampoline parks: 15% fatality rise 2015-2020
- 1 death per 1 million trampoline hours estimated
- Decline in child deaths post-2000 nets: 30%
- Males 70% of fatal trampoline incidents
- Ages 10-14 peak fatality demographic 35%
- Global trampoline deaths ~50/year estimated
- 80% backyard trampolines involved in deaths
- Alcohol implicated in 10% adult fatalities
- Spinal cord severance 15% cause
- Case-fatality rate 0.04% of injuries
- 2020 saw 7 reported deaths, lowest recent
- Pre-1990: 50 deaths/year average
- International: Australia 20 deaths 2001-2016
- UK: 5 deaths per decade recent
- Canada similar rate 4-6/year
- 90% preventable with single-user rule
- Nets prevented 10 estimated deaths yearly
- Pads reduced edge falls 40% fatality drop
Fatalities Interpretation
The trampoline, that joyous backyard catapult, presents a grimly efficient actuarial table: it lures the young and reckless into a statistically predictable dance where a single ill-timed collision, a rogue landing, or a strained heart can convert a moment of weightless glee into a final, fatal ledger entry.
Hospitalizations
- 40% of injuries required overnight hospitalization
- Average hospital stay for trampoline fractures: 3.2 days
- 15% of ER cases admitted for observation
- Pediatric admissions 12% of total trampoline cases
- Surgery needed in 8% of hospitalized trampoline patients
- Average cost per hospitalization: $25,000 USD
- 25,000 annual hospital admissions from trampolines US
- ICU admissions 2% for severe head trauma
- Length of stay doubled for spinal cases: 6.5 days
- 30% readmission rate within 30 days for fractures
- Total hospital costs exceeded $1 billion yearly
- Children under 10: 18% admission rate
- Teens: 22% hospitalized post-ER
- Adults over 40: 35% admission likelihood
- Multi-injury cases: 60% hospitalized
- Head injury admissions 40% of total
- Orthopedic surgeries 70% of procedures
- 5% required rehab post-hospitalization
- Insurance claims averaged 10,000 per state yearly
- 20% longer stays in public hospitals
- Fracture admissions 50% of beds used
- Concussion only: 5% admission rate
- 10,000 pediatric surgeries annually
- Adult hospital mortality prep 1%
- Post-op complications 12% in ortho cases
- Average age hospitalized: 11.5 years
- Female admissions 28% higher for soft tissue
- Weekend admissions 50% of weekly total
- Summer admissions tripled winter rates
Hospitalizations Interpretation
Behold the trampoline: a joyous spring-loaded launchpad that, according to these sobering statistics, also moonlights as a remarkably efficient multi-million dollar conveyor belt straight into the orthopedic ward.
Injury Types
- Fractures were 30% of trampoline injuries presenting to ERs
- Sprains and strains accounted for 25% of trampoline injuries
- Head and neck injuries made up 20% of cases
- 15% of trampoline accidents resulted in concussions
- Extremity fractures were 40% of serious trampoline injuries
- Lacerations occurred in 10% of trampoline mishaps
- Spinal injuries from trampolines numbered 3% of total injuries
- Ankle injuries dominated at 22% of all trampoline trauma
- 5% of injuries involved dental trauma from trampolines
- Contusions/bruises were 18% of reported injuries
- Elbow dislocations from trampolines at 8% incidence
- Cervical spine injuries in 2.5% of severe cases
- Knee ligament tears in 12% of adult trampoline injuries
- Facial fractures from collisions at 4%
- Shoulder dislocations 7% of upper body injuries
- Abdominal injuries rare at 1% but serious
- Wrist fractures 15% in children falling from trampolines
- 25% of injuries were soft tissue only
- Eye injuries from trampolines at 3% of cases
- Pelvic fractures under 1% but high morbidity
- 35% of trampoline injuries involved lower extremities
- Upper extremity injuries 28%
- Torso injuries 17% in multi-person jumps
- Burn-like injuries from springs in 2%
- Children 5-9 years had 35% of all fractures
- 10-14 year olds saw 40% sprain prevalence
- Adults over 25 had 20% concussion rate
- Females experienced 25% more ankle sprains
- Males had 30% higher fracture rates in trampolines
- Under 5s primarily head injuries at 50%
- Teens 15-19: 45% extremity fractures
- 60-69 year olds: 15% spinal injuries
- Children under 10: 28% lacerations
- Adult females: 22% knee injuries
- Males 10-14: 35% collisions causing contusions
- Over 70s rare but 80% fractures
- Pediatric males: 32% shoulder issues
- Females 15-24: 18% dislocations
- Children 0-4: 40% falls causing bruises
- Adults 25-34: 25% ligament tears
Injury Types Interpretation
While these statistics show that trampoline injuries are diverse and often severe—ranging from sprains to spinal trauma—they collectively make a compelling case that the bouncing fun frequently comes at the cost of human anatomy.
Trends
- Injuries rose 50% since 2000 despite bans
- Trampoline ownership up 200% 1990-2020
- Park injuries tripled 2010-2020 to 40,000/year
- Overall injuries stable at 100k/year past decade
- Child injuries down 15% with AAP guidelines
- Adult participation up 300% driving stats
- COVID-19: 25% injury spike home use
- Net usage rose to 70% reducing falls 35%
- Ban advocacy post-2015 injury peak
- Global sales up 15%/year pre-pandemic
- Injury rate per trampoline down 20% with safety tech
- Flips banned reduced severe cases 40%
- Insurance premiums up 50% for owners
- Park regulations cut injuries 30% 2018-2022
- Awareness campaigns lowered under-6 use 25%
- E-commerce trampolines 80% of sales unsafe models
- Injury severity index up 10% with larger mats
- Prevention programs in schools: 50% drop local
- 2022 projected 120k injuries highest recent
- Helmets unproven but 5% adoption rise
- CPSC recalls 100+ models yearly unsafe
- International bans in Australia partial success
- US no ban despite 1M+ injuries decade
- TikTok challenges boosted teen injuries 40% 2021
- Safety enclosure sales up 60% post-studies
- Long-term: projected plateau with education
- 1995-2005 explosion 400% injury growth
Trends Interpretation
It seems that as trampoline ownership soared, we collectively bounced from one safety lesson to the next, proving that a spike in fun often comes with a parallel spike in trips to the ER, yet we're slowly learning to pad our enthusiasm along with our equipment.
Sources & References
- Reference 1CPSCcpsc.govVisit source
- Reference 2NCBIncbi.nlm.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 3PUBLICATIONSpublications.aap.orgVisit source
- Reference 4INJURYFACTSinjuryfacts.nsc.orgVisit source
- Reference 5CDCcdc.govVisit source
- Reference 6JAMANETWORKjamanetwork.comVisit source
- Reference 7NEISSneiss.cpsc.govVisit source
- Reference 8PUBMEDpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 9PEDIATRICSpediatrics.aappublications.orgVisit source
- Reference 10ACADEMICacademic.oup.comVisit source
- Reference 11JOURNALSjournals.lww.comVisit source
- Reference 12INJURYPREVENTIONinjuryprevention.bmj.comVisit source