The trampoline has long been a staple of the suburban backyard, but recent years have seen an increase in the popularity of trampoline parks. These are typically indoor facilities featuring many trampolines in a grid-based network. Walls are often padded or made out of trampolines as well. This makes the overall trampoline surface far larger than it is in a yard, giving jumpers the opportunity to jump higher and do tricks they couldn’t do at home.
While children do love these, experts have warned that injuries from these indoor parks are soaring as the popularity goes up. While this is to be expected — with more people using them, it’s only natural that more people have the chance to be hurt, as with any activity — these experts want parents to understand the dangers.
One mother said she took both of her sons to one of these parks, and the older boy fell while he was jumping. The 13-year-old hit a wall, bounced off, and broke two bones in his arm. He had to have a pair of pins inserted surgically to repair the damage.
This isn’t as uncommon as it once was. In 2010, there were under 600 ER visits stemming from these parks. Just four years later, that had gone all the way up to 6,932. That’s more than ten times as many injuries in a very short time.
It is worth noting, though, that about 50 million people went to the parks in the last 12 months.
When participating in any dangerous activity in Illinois, it’s important to understand the responsibility the owner of the space has to provide a safe, injury-free environment. If negligence in this area leads to an injury, you may be able to see compensation.
Source: NPR, “As Trampoline Parks Jump In Popularity, So Do Injuries,” Katherine Hobson, Aug. 01, 2016