Over the last decade, they have multiplied exponentially across the nation: indoor trampoline parks and indoor inflatable amusement centers. People of all ages, mostly children, have made these bounce houses and trampoline parks a destination for birthday parties and every day fun throughout the nation including California. From San Diego to Los Angeles, dozens of trampoline centers, jump parks, and inflatable amusement centers have popped up in the last few years.
For many years, the American Academy of Pediatrics has been warning that home trampolines are incredibly risky. They caution that trampoline parks may be just as risky. In a recent report by the Academy, they suggest that injuries at the indoor trampoline parks should be closely monitored. Right now, the exact number of injuries at such parks is unknown but home trampolines accounted for an estimated 98,000 injuries in 2009 according to a review of the Academy’s article in the Los Angeles Times called “Pediatricians say home trampolines too risky.”
The focus of this article was home trampolines, but the ubiquity of the indoor parks will inevitably lead to a new study. A new study will surely document the many trampoline injuries that result from this latest trend. In another Los Angeles Times piece, the author offers an overview of the incredible popularity of the parks. The kicker for the article tells us what we already know: “the indoor trampoline business is booming.” Sky Zone, Sky High Sports, Jump Street, Xtreme Trampolines, and Rebounderz are some of the companies that have opened such parks nationwide over the last several years either as franchises or company owned locations. Having fun on a trampoline may be easier than ever as a result of this widespread popularity, but with increased popularity comes increased risk. If a child suffers a serious injury at one of these parks and the case gets national media coverage, this trend may be a brief one.
