While it may seem like harmless backyard fun, trampolines have been sending over a million people to emergency rooms in the last decade alone, turning a simple bounce into a serious and costly public health issue.
Key Takeaways
- Over 1 million trampoline-related injuries treated in US ERs from 2000-2009
- Approximately 100,000 annual ER visits for trampoline injuries in the US
- Trampoline injuries increased 25% from 2010 to 2015
- 65% of injuries from falls to ground
- Children under 6 account for 27% of injuries
- Ages 5-14 represent 80% of trampoline injuries
- Lower extremity injuries in 47% of cases
- Fractures account for 30% of trampoline injuries
- Sprains/strains in 23% of ER visits
- 55,000 hospitalizations from trampoline injuries 2000-2009
- Average hospital stay 2.8 days for trampoline injuries
- 7.2% of ER visits result in hospitalization
- 11 deaths per year average from trampolines
- 271 deaths reported 2001-2014
- Head/neck injuries cause 65% of fatalities
Despite numerous safety warnings, trampolines cause over a million serious injuries, especially in children.
Demographics
165% of injuries from falls to ground
Verified2Children under 6 account for 27% of injuries
Verified3Ages 5-14 represent 80% of trampoline injuries
Verified4Boys suffer 62% of trampoline injuries
Directional570% of injuries to children under 17
Single source6Females have higher rate of extremity fractures
Verified715% of injuries in adults over 18
Verified8Children 10-14 have highest injury rate at 2.6 per 1,000
Verified950% of injuries during recreational use at home
Directional10Multiple jumpers involved in 24% of injuries
Single source1167% of injuries from attempted somersaults
Verified1240% of injuries on backyard trampolines
Verified13Teens 15-19 have 1.5x injury rate of younger kids
Verified14Girls 55% of trampoline park injuries
Directional1585% of injuries during unsupervised play
Single source16Rural areas 2x higher injury rates
Verified1730% injuries from collisions with others
Verified1860% under 12 years old
Verified19Summer months 50% of injuries
Directional2075% backyard trampolines involved
Single source21First-time users 20% higher risk
Verified2245% injuries on larger trampolines >12ft
VerifiedDemographics Interpretation
Trampolines are essentially a youth magnet for orthopedic mischief, where the daring bravado of boys and the gravity-defying optimism of children culminate in a symphony of fractures, with unsupervised backyards serving as the main stage.
Fatalities and Comparisons
111 deaths per year average from trampolines
Verified2271 deaths reported 2001-2014
Verified3Head/neck injuries cause 65% of fatalities
Verified4Trampolines more dangerous than football for kids
Directional53 times more ER visits than playgrounds
Single source6Risk of death 1 in 500,000 jumps
Verified7Australia reports 1 death per 200,000 users yearly
Verified850% of deaths in children under 10
Verified9Trampoline parks have 2x injury rate of home
Directional10100 deaths 1960-2000 in US
Single source11UK 16 deaths 2006-2015
Verified12Risk higher than skateboarding by 50%
Verified134x more dangerous than bunk beds
Verified14Australia 27 deaths since 2001
Directional1570% fatalities from neck fractures
Single source16Park trampolines 3x ER rate vs home
Verified1745 deaths in Australia 2003-2012
Verified18Higher risk than bicycles per hour
Verified192.5x more ERs than snowboarding
Directional2080% deaths preventable with nets/pads
Single source21Indoor parks 30,000 injuries yearly US
Verified22Lifetime risk of paralysis 1:400,000
VerifiedFatalities and Comparisons Interpretation
While trampolines may promise airborne fun, the sobering reality is that they statistically function more as a family amusement device that carries a measurable, and often preventable, risk of catastrophic spinal injury, especially for young children.
Hospitalizations
155,000 hospitalizations from trampoline injuries 2000-2009
Verified2Average hospital stay 2.8 days for trampoline injuries
Verified37.2% of ER visits result in hospitalization
Verified420,400 hospital admissions in 2018
Directional5Cost of hospitalizations averaged $30,000 per case
Single source614% admission rate for children under 6
Verified7Surgery required in 5% of hospitalized cases
Verified876,000 hospital days annually from trampoline injuries
Verified9ICU admission in 2% of severe injuries
Directional10Fractures lead to 60% of admissions
Single source11$2 billion annual cost of trampoline injuries in US
Verified1216,800 fractures requiring surgery yearly
Verified13Average cost per ER visit $1,500
Verified1425% of hospitalized have long-term disability
Directional15Pediatric admission rate 8.2%
Single source1642,000 orthopedic admissions 2000-2011
Verified17Ventilator use in 1% of severe cases
Verified183,100 catastrophic injuries 1990-2007
Verified19$100 million yearly medical costs
Directional2010-day average stay for spinal injuries
Single source2130% readmission rate within 30 days
Verified2212% of admissions for ages 0-4
Verified23Hardware removal surgeries 15% of ortho cases
Verified24Blood transfusion in 0.8% cases
DirectionalHospitalizations Interpretation
Considering the statistics, it seems society has collectively decided that the joy of bouncing toward the heavens is well worth the accompanying billion-dollar bill and a sobering risk of returning to earth with a life-altering fracture.
Injury Rates
1Over 1 million trampoline-related injuries treated in US ERs from 2000-2009
Verified2Approximately 100,000 annual ER visits for trampoline injuries in the US
Verified3Trampoline injuries increased 25% from 2010 to 2015
Verified4288,071 trampoline injuries in 2018 US ERs
Directional5Rate of 3.1 trampoline injuries per 1,000 trampoline users annually
Single source676% of trampoline injuries occur at home
Verified7Injury rate of 5.6 per 10,000 population for children under 16
Verified898,000 trampoline ER visits in 2009 alone
Verified9Injuries doubled from 1990 to 2007
Directional1039 injuries per 1,000 trampoline hours of jumping
Single source1198,394 ER visits in 2010
Verified12249,282 injuries in 2017
Verified13UK sees 5,813 hospital admissions yearly
Verified14Canada 15,000 injuries annually
Directional15New Zealand 1,700 hospital presentations per year
Single source16Sweden 40 injuries per 100,000 children
Verified17121,356 ER visits 2002
Verified18229,396 injuries 2016
Verified19Norway 1,961 injuries 2002-2007
Directional20Denmark 11 per 10,000 users
Single source21Israel 2,500 yearly pediatric injuries
VerifiedInjury Rates Interpretation
The statistics suggest that humanity's quest to defeat gravity in our own backyards is being met with a stubborn and painful resistance from the laws of physics.
Injury Types
1Lower extremity injuries in 47% of cases
Verified2Fractures account for 30% of trampoline injuries
Verified3Sprains/strains in 23% of ER visits
Verified4Head injuries in 12% of cases
Directional5Lacerations/abrasions 15%
Single source6Spinal cord injuries in 8% of serious cases
Verified7Concussions reported in 4% of injuries
Verified8Dislocations in 3%
Verified9Upper extremity injuries 25%
Directional10Dental injuries in 2% of pediatric cases
Single source11Ankle fractures 22% of all fractures
Verified12Arm fractures in 18% of cases
Verified13Cervical spine injuries 5%
Verified14Eye injuries 1.5%
Directional15Internal organ damage 2%
Single source16Soft tissue injuries 35%
Verified171,691 surgeries in trampoline park injuries 2015-2019
Verified18Tibia fractures 12%
Verified19Skull fractures 3%
Directional20Rotator cuff tears in adults 4%
Single source21Facial fractures 2.5%
Verified22Bowel perforations rare 0.5%
Verified23Nerve palsies 1%
Verified24Contusions/hematomas 20%
DirectionalInjury Types Interpretation
These statistics prove that a trampoline is essentially a human catapult with a landing pad that specializes in turning every jump into a potential trip to the emergency room, specializing in legs, sprains, and surprisingly creative fractures.
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