Jumper Safety: Trampoline Parks vs. Backyard Trampolines

Everyone can agree that trampolines are a lot of fun and a great way to get some exercise and fresh air.

Because of the popularity of trampolines, and the health benefits jumping affords, trampoline parks are springing up all over the place.

Tracy Sarris, Executive Vice-president of the International Association of Trampoline Parks estimates there are 300 trampoline parks worldwide – up 700% from 2012!

But alongside the rise in trampoline parks is also an increase in the number of trampoline related injuries. A recent study estimates the number of injuries from indoor trampoline parks rose from fewer than 600 in 2010 to 6,932 in 2014.

Why? Trampoline parks are a series of connected trampolines in a room, usually with hard padding and springs between them, and surrounded by padded or trampoline walls. This may lead you to thinking they are a safe option. Katherine Leaming-Van Zandt, an emergency medicine physician at Texas Children's Hospital, doesn’t agree. She believes that parents may be lulled into a false peace of mind – thinking that supervision by park employees will keep kids safe.

One of the major problems with trampoline parks is that often more than one jumper is allowed on a trampoline. But multiple jumpers increase the risk of injuries and collisions. Studies have shown that it’s the smaller or lighter of the two jumpers that almost always gets hurt.

Kathryn Kasmire, a pediatric emergency medicine fellow at the Connecticut Children's Medical Center and the University of Connecticut says “Our concern is that there are more serious trampoline injuries [at parks] than on home trampolines."  Almost 9% of trampoline park injuries require hospital admission compared to 5.2% of injuries from backyard trampolines.

That’s why at Springfree, we have always advocated for one jumper at a time rules, and our other safe jumper rules. Preventing trampoline injury is, after all, the reason our Springfree Trampoline patented design was created. 

With the introduction of our new outdoor game system tgoma, we have taken safety to the next level.

How? tgoma only works with one jumper at a time, eliminating the risk of injuries from  multiple jumpers entirely. In fact, if more than one jumper is on the mat the sensors won’t register jumps and games can’t be played.

If you’re worried this means multiple kids can’t still play together with their Springfree Trampoline, don't be. tgoma encourages kids and families to play together, with the scoring system, leaderboards and unique usernames for each family player.  You can compete against each other for the highest score, shout out tips and tricks, and participate in competitions with jumpers on the other side of the world. 

Here at Springfree jumper safety is at the core of everything we do. So the next time you think about having a party at a trampoline park consider throwing a party right in your own backyard instead.