KEY POINTS:
Starship Children's Hospital is calling for restrictions on trampoline sales because of a large rise in the number of injuries among children.
Twenty-five children under 15 were admitted to Starship last month after being injured using a trampoline, compared with 11 in January last year. The hospital says the statistics reflect an increase in the popularity of privately owned trampolines. Shops also confirmed that trampoline sales have soared compared with last year.
Now doctors and child safety experts want to see their use restricted to areas where there is formal supervision such as gymnastics clubs.
Warehouse spokeswoman Cynthia Church said yesterday the retail chain stocked and sold more trampolines before Christmas last year than prior to Christmas 2005.
They are priced at just under $300, including safety mats to cover the springs and frame-top.
Starship clinical leader Dr Richard Aickin said forearm fractures and other simple bone fractures were the main injuries from trampoline falls.
Neck injuries occurred occasionally and he had once seen a case of paralysis of the legs caused by a trampoline accident.
Ann Weaver, the director of Starship's child safety division, Safekids, said most injuries occurred when people jumped from the trampoline to the ground, and often involved falling on to an object like a bicycle.
Trampolines that came with enclosed vertical nets attached to them were safer than others, she said, but Safekids did not condone the use of any trampolines at home.
"We believe that they should be used under a support regime and therefore they should be within a group situation, not for backyard use."
However, if people wanted to permit backyard bouncing, Safekids urges that they enforce rules such as allowing only one person on the trampoline at a time and requiring users to climb off when finished, rather than bouncing to the ground.
