Trampoline gyms are popping up in San Francisco, Santa Clara, and Concord. They are a total blast but can be quite tough on the body. I’ve been to the trampoline gym three times in the last year and every time I find myself grinning and laughing like a little kid again. I absolutely love them.
With that said, I think it’s important that I state that I have seen a large number of injuries from these establishments and this week I experienced one myself.
So there I was, watching these 4 teenagers doing flips, jumping off the wall and I thought, “I know I can’t do that, but I can try a bit more. Let’s just try jumping off the trampoline and against the wall.” Before I knew it I landed wrong and hurt my back.
The take home… jumping on these trampolines can be dangerous, more so for adults who aren’t used to it. I believe this to be true because they pack so many trampolines together, and all the framing makes it easy to land wrong with one (or both feet) on the metal frame verses the trampoline mat.
Growing up we played a lot on trampolines, and I felt no one really got hurt unless we were having a trampoline war where we tried to bounce the other people off the trampoline. They typically fell a few feet and occasionally broke an arm.
There are a couple of reasons these trampolines are more dangerous than a normal trampoline. Let’s compare the two:
You didn’t jump from trampoline to trampoline when you were younger – you just focused your jumping in the center of the mat because there was just one trampoline.
You were younger and your spinal discs were healthier. The reason for that is you didn’t sit as much.
So if you are going to the trampoline gym, have fun but bring my card. Call (415-762-8141) or go online to schedule your appointment at www.ProActiveSF.com and we’ll get you back playing in no time.
