More children are being injured in trampoline accidents, despite continuing efforts to improve the equipment’s safety.
This is the finding from a study published online in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health.
An Australian Standard has previously specified minimum safety and product labelling requirements for backyard trampolines. However, the study led by Monash Injury Research Institute’s Karen Ashby found that injury rates increased significantly across the 11-year study period, although there was some promising decline in the most ‘at risk’ group, 5–9 year olds, in the final two years of data available.
Falls remained by far the leading cause of hospital-admitted injury. Collision injuries, while increasing – and important – for youngest victims (0–4 years), still represented a small proportion of those admitted to hospital.
The youngest children had more multi-user injuries than any other age group.
“The introduction of safety enclosures could lead parents to believe the risk of injury is less and constant supervision is not as necessary,” Ms Ashby said.
“This unintended effect may be contributing to the increases in the number of injuries among the youngest children.
“There is also the possibility that older children and teenagers attempt more risky manoeuvres when netted enclosures are in place.”
Ms Ashby said mandatory safety measures, like those in the just-released Australian Standard AS 4989:2015, must be coupled with public education and awareness to reduce the number of trampoline-related injuries.
The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health is published by the Public Health Association of Australia. Information on the Association and the Journal can be found at http://www.phaa.net.au
Article: "Australian trampoline injury patterns and trends." Ashby, K., Pointer, S., Eager, D. and Day, L. (2015), Australian trampoline injury patterns and trends. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health. doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.12404
URL: http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/1753-6405.12404
For more information about this research, contact the research author:
* 1 July onwards: David Eager – phone: +61 02 9514 2687; email: David.Eager@uts.edu.au
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