When speaking with a friend the other day I was surprised to hear her concerns over the safety of trampolines.  One of her friend’s daughters had recently broken her arm.  Now when I think about the dangerous things we let our kids do I wouldn’t consider trampolines to be high in the most dangerous list.  Compared to a cricket ball in the face or receiving a hard tackle in football, a broken wrist from rollerblading or even grazing your knee when you fall off a swing a trampoline is tame by comparison.

But it does show me that trampolines are still tarnished by old stereotypes.  But like anything once you understand the risks associated with something you can make the effort to eliminate or mitigate that risk.  We are not talking about the old unstable rectangle trampolines anymore.  Modern trampolines treat safety as the first priority and you can be sure that fun will follow.

You can get a full run down of the Easy Trampoline safety features here, but there are also some common sense things to look out for in regards to where you put your trampoline and how you use it.

Where

1. Don’t put the trampoline under trees, power lines, roofs or anything at all if you can avoid it.  If it’s above them they will try and reach it, I know your kids are high achievers but trust me this is not the time or place for goal setting. 
   
2. Don’t put the trampoline too close to fences, pools, the house, trees, or on concrete.  If the kids are near a fence or a pool or a roof they WILL try and climb onto it, jump off it, jump into etc… your kids are VERY creative so you have to limit their options 
   
3. Do put the trampoline on a flat and preferably dry area.  If the trampoline is on an angle you are setting your kids up like a human cannonball 
   
4. Always try and put the trampoline on grass or tan bark, falling off the trampoline will happen at some point so try and ensure your kids get a soft landing. 

1. Only allow one child on the trampoline at a time (I know double bounces were amazing fun when I was growing up too, but they cause most accidents on trampolines) 
   
2. No somersaults!!! If you want to try and make the Olympics for gymnastics then please use an Olympic trampoline.  Your backyard tramp is just not cut out for it and you could do yourself some serious spine injuries. 
   
3. Don’t jump on the outdoor trampoline in the rain, or when the matt is wet.  Sounds obvious but trust me it happens.

Trust me, trampolines are a lot safer than most of the activities that your children do.  And by follwoing the above guidelines you are reducing the risk of anything going wrong.  Well stay safe and happy trampolineing!!!

Easy Trampoline’s is a huge advocate of using Trampoline’s as a fun form of exercise. Check out our great selection of trampolines in our Online Trampoline Store.

Jumping on a trampoline is something enjoyed by both children and adults. Children as young as two years of age will giggle when placed on a backyard trampoline and bounced, and adults of all ages find it is a fun, healthy form of exercise that is much easier on the joints than walking or jogging.

There are two basic types of trampolines. There is the large, round or rectangular kind found in gymnasiums and backyards around the country that is usually 12-16 foot in length or diameter, and the round mini-trampoline of about 3 feet in diameter that can be used and stored just about anywhere. Before deciding to exercise on a trampoline, as with any sport or exercise regime, always get permission from your doctor. When purchasing a trampoline or borrowing one from a friend or neighbor, safety precautions are paramount. Trampolines should be used on a hard, level surface, ideally surrounded by soft mats, in the event of a fall.
 If used indoors, see to it that it is used properly in relation to the height of the ceiling. For a standard 8-foot ceiling, very soft bouncing or a jog is all that can be done safely. If the ceiling is quite high, jumping can be higher. Test it a few times first, and see how close your head comes to the ceiling. Children should always be supervised when using a mini-trampoline indoors.

Large trampolines can be extremely dangerous if not used properly. A pad should cover the outer metal rim and springs, and as with a mini-tramp, the large trampoline should be set up on level ground, free of low hanging trees or wires. It is best set up in an open area away from rooftops or climbing apparatus, to reduce the temptation to jump off of something onto the trampoline.

For added safety, safety net enclosures are now available to attach to most trampolines; these are especially valuable if children will be jumping. Also, it is rarely safe to have more than one person on a trampoline at one time. But since most people will disregard this precaution, especially children, again, put up a safety enclosure, and limit the number of people on the trampoline to two. When the trampoline is safely installed and the doctor gives the go-ahead, the fun begins.

Trampolines can be used for jogging, gently bouncing, jumping hard, or as a springboard for jumping off. Jogging and bouncing are self-explanatory. Jumping hard can mean one of two things: simply jumping up and down as high and as hard as possible, and jumping up and doing specific stretches at the pinnacle of the jump. The latter of the two jumps can mean several things; usually it simply means stretching one’s legs out in a split, bringing the legs forward in a type of sitting position, reaching as high as possible with the arms, and so forth.
There are also simple jumps that encourage dexterity and balance. One example would be standing on one foot and bouncing slightly, counting to ten, and then changing to the other foot. With a little creativity, many muscles can be worked and stretched. Large trampolines open up a whole world of possibilities. Not only can all the above exercises be done, like on the mini-trampoline, but also the large surface area allows bouncing on more than just our feet. Multiple variations of bouncing can be tried. Alternating bouncing while standing and then sitting, also known as a seat drop or seat bounce, works the abdominal muscles when bouncing back up from sitting to standing.

Alternating bouncing while standing and then kneeling, also known as the knee drop or knee bounce, works the quadriceps, calves, and gluteal muscles. Alternating bouncing while standing and then lying on one’s stomach, also known as the belly drop of belly bounce, works shoulder and lower back muscles; this one is tricky, though, so be careful. Well known flips and twists can be done by those trained with sufficient pads and spotters, but they are not recommended for home or casual use.

Why use a trampoline, when jogging, walking, or jumping rope can be sufficient? Jumping on a trampoline is almost identical to jumping rope, but the unforgiving impact to joints is absent. While children don’t usually suffer these aches and pains, any adult athlete can testify to the knee and ankle pain resulting from running, aerobics, and other high impact exercises. Also, recent studies have shown that weight-bearing exercises practiced in childhood and adolescence significantly increase bone mass, reducing the risk of osteoporosis later in life. Trampolines are a fun, convenient means of indoor and outdoor exercise for any skill level, and a large trampoline can be a fun, outdoor activity for the whole family. Be safe and enjoy!
 

Easy Trampoline’s is a huge advocate of using Trampoline’s as a fun form of exercise. Check out our great selection of trampolines in our Online Trampoline Store.