Researchers suggest that mandatory safety standards for trampoline centers could reduce risk.

If you often head to the nearest trampoline park when your kids start bouncing off the walls at home, a recent study might give you second thoughts.

Kids who get their jump on at trampoline parks are more likely to suffer a serious injury and require hospital admission than those who use trampolines at home, according to a study published June 13 in the journal Injury Prevention.

Greater public awareness of the potential dangers and mandatory safety standards for trampoline centers is needed to reduce the risk of injury, according to the authors.

The first trampoline park opened its doors in 2004, and the recreation centers quickly gained popularity around the world, according to a Los Angeles Times article about the state of the industry. By 2019, the global trampoline park industry was worth $1.4 billion and was expected to more than double that figure by 2023. Then the pandemic happened.

An estimated 100 locations in the United States shuttered during COVID-19, but trampoline parks appear to be bouncing back. Many centers are reporting that crowds are returning as more people are willing to gather inside.

Although the trampoline industry has developed safety standards designed to curb potential hazards associated with the manufacture, assembly, maintenance, and use of trampolines, the rate of trampoline injuries has stayed about the same over the last couple of decades — they account for nearly 100,000 emergency room visits by children every year in the United States, according to the authors.

The study used data from 11 studies that were conducted in seven countries, including the United States, for a total of nearly 13.9 million trampoline injuries. Investigators sorted the data to uncover what types of injuries were most common, the ages of the children who sustained different types of injuries, and whether the injuries occurred at a home trampoline or at a trampoline park.

The observational studies used were not designed to uncover the “why” behind the results, but the authors did propose potential causes for some of their key findings.

These findings highlight the need for greater public awareness of the potential dangers and mandatory safety standards for trampoline centers, the researchers wrote.

Consumers need to know that each center may have different rules and regulations, says Dr. Eslick. “Key things to make sure of would include the level of supervision, the number of children allowed on each trampoline, and are children of different ages, genders, and sizes allowed on the same trampoline,” he says.

The enforcement of these safety precautions can reduce the likelihood of injury, says Eslick. “We reported that most injuries occurred during unsupervised trampoline sessions.”

According to a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), small children are 14 times more likely to get hurt than bigger children, and 75 percent of all trampoline injuries occur when multiple kids are jumping at one time.

This study isn’t the first to find park jumping more dangerous than home trampolines. Research presented at the AAP's 2019 National Conference and Exhibition found it was 32 percent more likely that a child’s trampoline-related bone fracture occurred at a recreation facility or gym rather than on a trampoline in a backyard or attached to someone’s home.

The organization recommends that trampolines not be used except by athletes who are being supervised in training for a sport like diving or gymnastics.

Although the Cleveland Clinic advises against playing on any trampolines, regardless of whether they are at a business or a backyard, they offer safety tips for how to reduce injuries.

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