Upper-extremity fractures most prevalent trampoline injury

Upper-extremity fractures were the most commonly seen injuries in emergency department visits due to trampoline accidents, according to study results published in the Journal of Pediatric Orthopedics.

Using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database for trampoline injuries between 2002 and 2011, researchers analyzed patients by age, sex, race, anatomic location of the injury, geographical location of the injury and disposition from the emergency department (ED).

More than 1 million individuals visited the ED for trampoline-related injuries, and 29% sustained fractures. Mean patient age was 9.5 years.

Results showed 59.9% of fractures occurred in the upper extremity compared with 35.7% in the lower extremity, 4.4% in the spine, 1% in the skull/face and 0.5% in the rib/sternum.

“The overall purpose of this study was to determine the magnitude of the problem of fractures from trampoline use and the fracture pattern sustained from such,” Randall T. Loder, MD, chair of the Indiana University School of Medicine department of orthopaedic surgery and a surgeon at Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health, told Orthopedics Today. “There are a large number of fractures and injuries sustained from trampolines, and better prevention strategies are needed.”

Disclosure: The researchers have no relevant financial disclosures.

Published by:

Sources/Disclosures

Collapse

Source:

Loder RT. J Pediatr Orthop. 2014. doi:10.1097/BPO.0000000000000189.