New trampoline design features no springs

Thursday, February 13, 2020
Springless trampolines may be a safer option
Springfree claims to be 90-percent safer than traditional trampolines. It uses fiber poles instead of metal springs.

Rachel Brashier brings her 3-year old son to the park to play to get exercise, because she thinks it's safer than a backyard trampoline.

"I've heard, like, broken arms, situations like that, you know, or head issues when kids collide kind of situation," Rachel Brashier said.

Between 2002 and 2011, more than 1 million people went to the E.R after suffering a trampoline related injury, according to the Mayo Clinic. Rachel says, with how dangerous trampolines can be, she doesn't even feel comfortable buying one for her son to use in their own backyard.

She worries about him, but also any of his friends who might want to come over to jump.

"It's a risk. It is a risk, even with insurance," Brashier said.

RELATED: Doctors, experts warn of serious injuries to kids at trampoline parks

UT Health Dr. Nipa Sanghani says trampoline injuries are one of the most popular among kids in the E.R.

"The more severe injuries we do see are broken arms and legs," Sanghani said. "Sometimes you can actually get severe head trauma. Anywhere from concussions to skull fractures, to bleeding inside the head."

Is it possible to keep your kids jumping, without risking a serious injury?

Springless trampolines may be the answer parents are looking for. The maker of springfree trampolines claims to be 90 percent safer than traditional trampolines with its revolutionary design and technology, including fiber poles instead of metal springs. Springfree trampolines are designed to get kids in their backyard and jumping safer. But, it's going to cost you.

The average basic trampoline without any safety upgrades can cost between $180 to a $1000. The Springfree starts around $1,100 up to $2,400.

"We were tested by multiple consumer groups where we tested 93 out of a 100 for safety, whereas traditional trampolines only scored about 23 to 33 percent," Springfree manager Kendra Pless said.

Dr. Sanghani says, while she sees a lot of trampoline injuries, the Springfree design could be safer.

"It could tend to be a little bit safer. Springless trampolines tend to have a hidden edge," Sanghani said. "It also has a flexible outer area, so when they are jumping on the trampoline and they fall, they have less of a chance of hitting a solid edge."

With Springfree trampolines you can add a sunshade, anchor accessories, and something called a Tgoma. That's a tablet to motivate kids to jump longer with Bluetooth sensors that connect to games and a fitness tracker. They also come with a custom net.

"Unlike the traditional ones that have metal poles to hold them up that you can get injured on, ours have been replaced with fiber rods as well, so our enclosure nets have been designed to actually catch you if you fall out and push you back into the safe zone," Houston market manager John Mixon said.

As a mom to a 3-year-old boy, Rachel Brashier says she would pay more for peace of mind.

"That would be great, because you would pinch yourself on the springs or whatever, so yeah, that would be fantastic," Brashier said.

If you own a trampoline already or aren't looking to spend that kind of money right now, a couple of ways you can make a traditional trampoline safer is to choose the best manufacturer, use a net enclosure, know the weight capacity, and use UV resistant material.

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