A trampoline craze has swept the country as of late. Recreational parks in New Haven, Connecticut, have also joined the trend and included trampoline use in their list of activities. However, although jumping on a trampoline may be fun, residents should still confirm its safety as its popularity has also been met with injury cases, including neck and spinal cord injuries.

An example of this is a trampoline park that promised a fun and safe experience, but has caused several injury cases in the first few weeks of its operation. Trampoline-related injuries have increased so much that staff from urgent-care centers and local emergency rooms are also getting concerned.

Injuries can range from cuts, to sprains, to fractures. Then there are the severe ones like concussions and cervical-spine injuries. For example, a 13-year-old girl, doing a handstand, lost her balance because of unsupervised children. Now, she must undergo physical therapy to help restore full movement of her leg. However, the most devastating situation was with a 20-year-old man whose head snapped back while doing a flip. He sustained a neck injury and suffered paralysis right in the trampoline pit.

Concern also arose since park safety rules differ greatly from what is recommended by doctors. For one, doctors recommend that only one person at a time use a trampoline while parks encourage users to jump together. Doctors also encourage that all surrounding obstacles be eliminated. On the other hand, parks have obstacles to jump over. Finally, doctors recommend that users be informed of the injury risks. On the other hand, parks simply require users to sign a waiver.

Although New Haven residents should be wary of trampoline safety, they should also realize that spinal cord injuries can also occur from motor vehicle accidents and workplace accidents. If an injury is due to another person’s or a company’s negligence, the injured person can hold that negligent party legally responsible. If a lawsuit is filed, the injured person can obtain much-needed compensation for long-term medical care and other related damages.

Source: Arizona Daily Star, “Trampoline Injuries Up Since Get Air Park’s Opening,” Becky Pallack, Oct. 06, 2013