Fears grow over safety of trampoline parks after spike in cases of children breaking limbs and spraining wrists and ankles
A new study suggests the parks are an 'emerging health concern' for children aged under 17
SAFETY fears are growing over trampoline parks after doctors recorded a spike in children breaking bones and spraining limbs at the increasingly popular centres.
A group of Australian medics raised concern over accidents at such parks after seeing 40 children at one health centre in just six months.
Writing in the journal Injury Prevention, the Sydney-based doctors said while most injuries were minor, 38 percent involved a broken bone and 55 percent resulted in a sprain.
They labelled the rise in trampoline parks an "emerging health concern" and said "further injury prevention strategies are warranted".
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Indoor trampoline parks usually feature many kids bouncing simultaneously on mats placed in close proximity to each other.
Researchers reviewed the medical records of Australian children under 17, who had sought medical treatment at an A&E between July 2014 and January 2015.
The team focused solely on injuries sustained whilst at a trampoline park - and found 40 child patients, 55 per cent of which were girls, requiring treatment for their injuries.
The average age of each child patient was 10, but the youngest was just a year old.
Bruising, fractured elbows and ankles, as well as shoulder and ankle sprains were the typical injuries received.
Author Dr Christopher Mulligan, from The University of New South Wales said "double bouncing, or multiple users on a single trampoline, carried a significant risk for injury".
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