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Safety Tips For Playing on a Trampoline

Mayuri Kulkarni
With the growing popularity of trampoline as a fun activity, the number of injuries have also increased. Here are some safety tips that you should follow when you or your kid are playing on a trampoline.
Jumping on a trampoline is a great activity that everyone enjoys. Trampolining as an exercise is the latest trend. However, neglecting safety precautions during trampolining can lead to serious injuries.
Parts of the body that are susceptible to injury while jumping on a trampoline are the legs, neck, head, arms, and the face. The head and the neck are very delicate parts of our body, as they contain important organs like the brain and the spinal cord. Any injury to these two parts can even be fatal.
Minor injuries that one can get due to mistakes on the trampoline include fractures in the legs or arms and damage to muscles; while severe injuries include traumatic injury to the brain or to the spinal cord. These injuries can even lead to death or paralysis. So, it's quite clear that one needs to take appropriate measures while jumping on a trampoline.

Tips on Trampoline Safety
Before moving on to the actual safety tips, there are certain initial steps that you should follow. One is, making your kids and yourself aware of the trampoline rules.
Whenever you buy a new trampoline, the first thing to be done is make your kids aware of what to do, and what not to do on the trampoline. Develop a set of rules at the beginning itself, and always make them recall the rules before they start jumping on the trampoline. 
Always buy a trampoline of a good make. While placing it in the backyard or anyplace in your outdoors, see to it that there are no trees, park benches, poles, etc., around. Try to keep the height of the trampoline very low, and if possible, place it in a pit. It should be surrounded by a soft surface like grass. Now, let us take a look at some safety tips.
  • One at a time! This rule should be strictly followed while jumping on it. A majority of accidents take place due to the presence of more than one person on the trampoline.
  • Always supervise your kids when they are near or on the trampoline. Kids tend to experiment with new jumps in the absence of parents.
  • Make your kids aware of injuries that can happen if they do not follow the safety precautions.
  • Always remove any jewelry before jumping on the trampoline. Never carry sharp objects to the trampoline.
  • One should never jump directly on the trampoline from the ground, or vice versa. A number of injuries take place due to this common mistake.
  • Use safety pads to cover the rough edges of the trampoline. There are safety nets available in the market, which will help in avoiding injuries. Take a look at the condition of the trampoline before jumping. Repair cuts on the fabric, if any.
  • See that other kids do not go below the trampoline net or sit on the side.
  • The most important tip is to jump in the center of the trampoline. Do not perform any tricks if you are new to the trampoline.
  • Do not jump too high, and do not land on hard surfaces after jumping on it.
  • Limit the period of jumping on the trampoline. Do not continue jumping if you are too tired. One should not jump on a trampoline if he has consumed alcohol or drugs.
  • Somersaults should be performed by those who are expert at trampoline tricks.
  • Never leave your kids unattended when they are near the trampoline.
Trampolining is a fun activity, and can be enjoyed for a long time, if all the safety precautions given here are followed properly.