Michele Kalny is an emergency-room doctor at Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary. She's noticed a significant increase in the number of trampoline injuries over the past two to three years. Some minor sprains and strains are also very common. Kalny isn't the only ER doctor in Canada to see an increase in trampoline injuries. And that number is based on data from just 16 hospitals across the country.
Some trampoline injuries damage the neck or spinal cord, resulting in permanent paralysis.
Most, however, are fractures. And while these may not be as serious, Kalny says, even they can have long-term consequences. The majority are kids between the ages of five and 14. They have growth plates in their bones and if these are injured or disrupted in any way, it can certainly impact the long-term growth of the child, particularly of the bone that's injured. Dr. Gary Smith is an emergency-room physician and assistant professor at Ohio State University medical school in Columbus, Ohio.