PARAMEDICS have issued a safety warning about trampolines, following 40 incidents across the state in less than three months.
Intensive care paramedic Rowan Harman said he and his colleagues had all too often seen the damage that could be done by using a trampoline inappropriately or not having it properly set up.
“The age of the patients treated in recent weeks ranges from two to 37 years of age but primarily those injured were school-aged children,” Mr Harman said.
“The type of injury from a trampoline-related accident can be anything from broken arms, legs or collarbones to facial trauma including broken teeth.
“In the most serious cases it can also result in potential spinal injuries as well.”
Mr Harman said it was important to not let more than one child go on the trampoline at a time and to ensure there was always an adult supervising.
“Adults also seem to grossly overestimate their ability to perform tricks on a trampoline, especially where alcohol is involved. They are likely to come unstuck very quickly and could end up with a broken leg or potentially even a neck injury,” Mr Harman said. “A lot of trampolines now have safety nets around them, which is a very good thing but there are still a lot of them that don’t come with that accessory. If you’re new to the trampoline, have fun, but just be careful and don’t try and perform complex tricks straight away.”
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