U.S. child trampoline injuries on the rise

PROVIDENCE, R.I., July 9 (UPI) -- Trampoline injuries have more than doubled in the past decade and continue to rise, according to a Rhode Island Hospital study.

The researchers examined data from 2001 and 2002 and found that an average of 75,000 children per year were seen in emergency departments across the country.

However, the data from 2000 through 2005 showed even higher rates -- 531,378 trampoline-related injuries over the study period, or an average of 88,563 each year, according to the findings presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics annual meeting and published in the Academic Emergency Medicine.

Ninety-five percent of the trampoline injuries occurred on home trampolines, said Dr. James Linakis, a pediatric emergency physician at Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence, R.I.

"Our first study on this subject gave us reason for concern, and the need to send a warning to parents," Linakis said in a statement. "Clearly this new study indicates even higher rates of injury than first thought."

The most common injuries were soft tissue -- 256,509 -- while fractures and dislocations were the next -- 168,402.