- [Home](https://ortopediaevolutiva.com/en) - [Pediatric Orthopaedics Blog — Dr. Priano](https://ortopediaevolutiva.com/en/blog) - Trampolines and children: what are the risks and age advice? # Trampolines and children: what are the risks and age advice? November 8, 2026 3 min read Edited and medically reviewed by [Dr. Daniele Priano](https://ortopediaevolutiva.com/en/about) ![Trampolines and children: what are the risks and age advice?](https://qoxwtbnwsrbatawnkgst.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/editorial/40605920-ca35-8149-bf05-d677d01adbba/7a6a2e5700177a4f81d812e76bdf3b305ca27963b382f7ceb274a036855bfbbb.png) This English version is based on the original Italian article. For wording nuances, you can refer to the Italian version. ## In short, for parents - • Age, safety nets, shared bouncing and symptoms afterwards: understanding trampoline risks without treating precautions as a guarantee. A trampoline can cause sprains and fractures even when a child does not fall outside the net. The Royal Children’s Hospital advises against trampoline use for children under 6. A net and an adult’s presence do not remove the risk. [Outdoor play safety](https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Backyard_and_Playground_Safety/) The American Academy of Pediatrics takes a more restrictive position: it discourages recreational use for older children too, distinguishing this from sporting activities with trained instructors and specialised equipment. Turning 6 does not automatically make trampolining safe. [AAP information for families](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/Trampolines-What-You-Need-to-Know.aspx) ### Why sharing the mat changes the risk When two people jump on the same mat, one person’s bounce changes the other person’s landing. A smaller child may receive a sudden upward push from the mat while coming down. A collision is not necessary, and this can happen with a parent who joins the child to help. [Mechanism described by Jeong and colleagues](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13018-021-02707-9) One injury described in younger children is a [fracture](https://ortopediaevolutiva.com/en/conditions/injuries-fractures) at the upper end of the shin bone, just below the knee. The X-ray findings can be subtle. A Finnish study of 101 children with this injury describes the mechanism and the frequent presence of several jumpers; it does not measure the risk of an individual trampoline session. [Study by Jääskelä and colleagues](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7184643/) ### A net helps, but cannot prevent every injury A net can reduce falls off the trampoline. It does not prevent twisting injuries, awkward landings or collisions between people sharing the mat. Placing a trampoline close to the ground does not remove these risks either. [OrthoKids, POSNA](https://www.orthokids.org/safety/trampoline-and-bounce-house-safety/) If a family decides to let an older child use a trampoline, precautions include: - only one person on the mat, even if the other person would be an adult; - no flips or somersaults during recreational play; - an adult watching directly and enforcing the rules; - checking the net, padding and frame, and stopping use if they are damaged. These measures aim to reduce risk; they cannot guarantee safety. AAOS guidance also calls for padding over springs and rigid parts. [Injury prevention](https://www.orthoinfo.org/staying-healthy/trampoline-injury-prevention) ### What about trampoline parks? A crowded park creates more opportunities for collisions. A separate area for younger children does not remove the caution for those under 6, and park staff are not equivalent to a dedicated instructor. [AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/Trampolines-What-You-Need-to-Know.aspx) ### Limping or refusing to put weight on a leg afterwards Stop the jumping. A child who suddenly cannot walk or bear weight needs urgent assessment. [Royal Children’s Hospital](https://www.rch.org.au/clinicalguide/guideline_index/The_limping_or_non-weight_bearing_child/) Explain how the landing happened and whether anyone else was on the mat. If pain or limping persists after an initial assessment, contact the doctor again: the early signs of some trampoline fractures are subtle. The article on a [child limping despite a normal X-ray](https://ortopediaevolutiva.com/en/blog/child-limping-with-normal-x-ray) explains this further. After a head injury, loss of consciousness, difficulty waking the child or repeated vomiting require emergency help. If a neck or spinal injury is suspected, do not move the child and call the emergency services. [Warning signs after a head injury](https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Head_injury/) #### Can an injury happen without a fall? Yes. Sharing the bounce can cause an injury without anyone falling off the trampoline. If pain develops, this mechanism matters during the assessment, as well as any collision. **Daniele Priano — paediatric orthopaedic surgeon.** This is general information. It does not replace an examination, diagnosis or the advice given for an individual child. ![Dott. Daniele Priano](https://ortopediaevolutiva.com/assets/doctor-avatar-3d-CTvqnoPa.webp) ### Concerned about your child? If you recognize any of these signs in your child, a specialist assessment can give you clarity. I see children at Gaetano Pini and CTO institutes in Milan. 5.0 · Google & MioDottore [Book a private visit](https://ortopediaevolutiva.com/en/locations#prenota) ### Related Conditions [Fractures and trauma](https://ortopediaevolutiva.com/en/conditions/injuries-fractures) ### Related Surgery Pages [Fracture treatment](https://ortopediaevolutiva.com/en/surgery/injuries-fractures) ![Dott. Daniele Priano](https://ortopediaevolutiva.com/assets/doctor-avatar-3d-BiLSxBxW.webp) Author and medical reviewer ## Dr. Daniele Priano [Pediatric orthopaedic care in Milan](https://ortopediaevolutiva.com/en) — Gaetano Pini & CTO [Read full bio](https://ortopediaevolutiva.com/en/about) --- Canonical: https://ortopediaevolutiva.com/en/blog/trampoline-children-risks-age-safety Le informazioni cliniche sono divulgative e non sostituiscono una valutazione medica diretta.