Personally, I don't see anything wrong with them as long as the kids aren't left unsupervised. Everyone is just so crazy to jump on the bandwagon of banning everything now-a-days. However, that's just my random opinion. I had one as a kid and I'm okay.. and we were stupid on it when we were older kids... I never wore a seatbelt when I was younger... we never wore bike helmets... yes, I'm a total hypocrite and make my kids wear them now... but like I'm saying, times are much different now than they were 30+ years ago.
I did find these reports:
. JUST SAY NO TO TRAMPOLINES
Scary Stat: Trampoline-related injuries are responsible for as many as 92,000 emergency-room visits annually.
Listen to the Doctor: "At this hospital, we see about 150 to 200 children with trampoline injuries per year, split equally between boys and girls. These kids have fractures, spinal injuries, and sometimes serious head injuries. Most injuries occur not because kids fly off the trampoline, but because another child lands on them, or they do something inappropriate, such as riding a bike on the trampoline. If you do have a trampoline, only one person at a time should be on it--with supervision. As more people get on, the risk of injury increases exponentially. If one or two kids jump up, then the trampoline is like concrete for the child coming down. Kids can even break their arms or legs as they land."--Howard Kadish, M.D., pediatric emergency medicine physician at the Primary Children's Medical Center, Salt Lake City
Find Out More: Trampolines are largely unregulated, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against their use at home, in gym classes, and on playgrounds. For details, log on to www.kidshealthworks.com.
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and this one:
Trampoline Injury Facts
According to the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), 246,875 medically treated trampoline injuries occur annually in the U.S. Of this total, 186,405 of these injuries occurred among children aged 14 or younger.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) hospital emergency room-treated trampoline injuries almost tripled in the last decade - from an estimated 37,500 in 1991 to almost 100,000 in 1999.
The commission has received reports of 11 deaths relating to trampoline use from 1990 to 1999. Those victims ranged in age from 3 to 43. Six were between the ages of 12 and 19.
Falls off the trampoline often resulted in crippling injury and/or death including paralysis from spinal cord injury. Somersaults and coming into contact with other persons on the trampoline's surface likewise resulted in many serious and crippling injuries as well as death.
Nearly two-thirds of trampoline injury victims were children 6 to 14 years of age.
About 15% of trampoline injuries involved young children under 6 years old.
In 1999, injuries to the leg/foot were reported most frequently, accounting for 40% of the total. Injuries to the arm/hand accounted for 29% of the total, head/face/neck accounted for 20%, and shoulder/trunk were associated 10% of the total.
Approximately 4% of all trampoline emergency-room treated injuries result in hospitalization.
Most trips to the emergency room are the result of jumpers colliding with one another, falling on the trampoline springs or frame, falling or jumping off the trampoline, or attempting somersaults and stunts.
Trampoline Safety Tips
Trampolines should not be used except when there is
adequately trained supervision for the recreational activity.
Trampolines should only be used in well-lighted areas and children should never be allowed to jump onto the trampoline from high objects.
A surrounding net may decrease the injury rate but this has not been extensively proven yet. There is netting now available around the perimeter of trampolines. This netting has been shown to reduce the number of injuries from falls off the rampoline but should only be used with the following warnings: 1) Netting is not a substitute for adequate adult supervision; 2) Netting will not reduce nor eliminate crippling injuries and death on the surface of the trampoline itself. It has been shown to retain users in the trampoline area and for that reason alone is recommended.
The trampoline jumping surface should be placed at ground level.
The supporting bars, strings and surrounding landing surfaces should have adequate protective padding.
Only one participant should use a trampoline at any time.
Trained spotters should be present when participants are jumping.
Somersaults or high-risk maneuvers should be avoided without proper supervision and instruction; these maneuvers should be done only with proper use of protective equipment, such as a harness.
Use of trampolines for physical education, competitive gymnastics, diving training and other similar activities requires carefully trained adult supervision and proper safety measures.
Competent adult supervision and instruction is needed for children at all times.
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http://www.safety-council.org/info/sport/trampoline.html