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Cycling around Oulu in the sunny weather you will notice trampolines in the back yards of many houses. What you probably did not know is that the popularity of these gymnastic devices started already much earlier...
 

According to Tarmo Sallinen from ACON FINLAND OY LTD the big boom of trampolines happened in the years 2000-2004 and he should know since he is the one who introduced the idea of including trampolines in their business. Their company was at first a design company in the steel industry and after spending one year on exchange in America, Tarmo had an idea of super fun playground equipment that, in his view, just had to be introduced to the Finnish market. Through his connections in America he found the biggest manufacturer of trampolines in the world, Jumpking. And in 1996 the trampoline business was brought to Finland.

The trampoline was invented in 1934 by two Americans, George Nissen and Larry Griswold. George Nissen heard the word trampolin which means diving board in Spanish and he decided to use the anglicized word as the trademark. At first the trampolines were meant only for training but they soon became used for recreational purposes as well. Now the two types - recreational and competitive - differ in the construction and strength of the springs.

When buying a trampoline, there are some small things to be considered because they make a big difference when it comes to quality. At ACON they offer three different quality levels of trampolines – High, Medium and Low at all possible sizes. According to Tarmo lower quality trampoline sized 4.3 meter usually weights from 68 to 75 kilos. Higher quality 4.3 meter trampoline can weigh up to 107 kilos. What effects the weight are the diameter and the thickness of the tube; the width, thickness and material of the pad (which can be PVC rubber or polyester) and then the length, amount and pressures of the springs. The longer the springs, the deeper and softer the jumps are, says Tarmo. An interesting fact about a trampoline you probably did not know is that the fabric is not elastic itself. The elasticity is actually provided by the springs which connect it to the frame.

ACON offers trampolines from 1.2 to 4.6 meter in diameter and the price range is from 49 up to 949 euros. You can decide between different shapes as well and the biggest one they offer at the moment is a 5.2x3 meter ‘rectangular giant’, as Tarmo calls it. You can have your trampoline sent to your home or you can pick it up in Oulu or Nurmijärvi. There are also some accessories to go with your brand new toy. According to Tarmo only one third of their customers buy the safety net which is highly recommended. There is also a protective cover for the pad and a small latter to ease your access onto the trampoline.

When it comes to trampoline safety you can find a lot of negative experiences from those who have not been careful enough while jumping. One of the trampoline users says her three children really wanted a trampoline 5 years ago. But having worked for over ten years in healthcare, she had seen enough bruises, blisters and broken limbs to say no. The boys did not give up that easily and they saved half of the money for it so at the end the trampoline came. Since then the whole family has been using the trampoline for exercise, playing new trampoline games and even sleeping on it in the summer. Now even the mum says she is a true trampoline fan.

Another mum was very lucky to get their trampoline as a present when they moved into their new home.

‘Kids love it simply because it is fun to jump and play different games on it,’ says the mother.  She says that because of the safety net she does not need to be precise when it comes to the number of children on it at a time. They haven’t had any bigger accidents yet and she can really see how using the trampoline can help develop children’s motor and balance skills. “Overall it’s a good exercise and most of all it is fun for young and old.” says the mum.

There are certain safety recommendations that should not be missed before the first use of the trampoline. One of the recommendations users take for granted is definitely the “one person at a time on a trampoline” rule. It is of course obvious that jumping alone while your friends are waiting for their turn is hard to expect from children. In reality the lowest number of children on the trampoline at a time that I saw was two, the highest was four. More children means more chances to collide or jump higher into unexpected directions and getting hurt. The most common injuries are broken bones, concussion and other head injuries, sprains, bruises, neck and spinal cord injuries that can cause permanent paralysis or even death.

Accidents usually happen when falling off the trampoline, landing on the frame or springs and then landing badly. That is why parental supervision is always advised; especially if there is more than one child jumping at the same time. Kids also should not jump from a higher ground or attempt stunts that could endanger them. Having some prior training with a professional in a gym can also be a good idea. 

But even though there are quite a lot of things to consider safety wise, people still love to jump. If nothing else trampoline manages to bring out the child out in adults as well.