In California and across the U.S., trampoline parks are becoming more popular, but there is still question as to how safe they really are. The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has published the results of a study comparing the rate of severe injuries at trampoline parks to trampolines at home. It turns out that while home trampolines see more injuries in general, 66% as opposed to 34%, the parks experience more dislocations and fractures.
Specifically, 55% of the patients involved in the study had a fracture from a jump park compared to 44% from a home trampoline. Under severe injuries are categorized all open fractures and fractures requiring surgery. Adults double their risk for a fracture requiring surgery when at a jump park: 23% versus 10%.
In all, adults were determined to have a 45% fracture rate at trampoline parks and a 17% fracture rate on at-home trampolines. For children, the gap was not so large; 59% and 47% were the respective fracture rates.
One possible explanation for the discrepancy is that trampoline park goers may attempt high-flying acrobatics and have less coordination when they fall. More research is needed to study the socioeconomic impact of trampoline-park-related injuries, especially as healthcare costs continue to go up.
Since trampoline parks are naturally places where people may attempt risky moves, owners have to ensure maximum security; otherwise, they may find themselves facing a case that involves premises liability law. Victims of preventable accidents, for their part, may want to see an attorney who works in this field before moving forward because it might be hard to negotiate for a settlement on one’s own. It may even come to the point where victims must litigate. An attorney may be able to hire investigators and other experts to ensure the strongest case possible.