Causes of back pain after using a trampoline

Internet forums are full of questions about the connection between back pain and trampoline use. There are many different types of injuries that can occur when jumping on a trampoline, from pulled muscles to head trauma. The types of injuries below can cause back pain.

stretched muscle

Back pain after trampoline can be caused by a muscle strain. Jumping on a trampoline works the muscles of the legs, pelvis, and back, particularly the stabilizer muscles. The stabilizer muscles work to protect the spine; They activate before you perform an activity, strengthening the spine against harmful compression. Ideally, this brace protects the discs and joints in the spine by keeping the spine aligned and absorbing some of the impact placed on the body by movements such as jumping up and down.

If your stabilizing muscles are weak, they are likely to strain (or “stretch”) when you trampoline. Tight muscles suffer small tears that usually heal within three days. Localized inflammation causes pain, swelling, and tenderness. A pulled muscle also hurts when used. Since the back muscles are used in almost every movement, they can cause a significant amount of pain when pulled and take a little longer to heal.

It’s particularly easy to strain your stabilizer muscles if you have a strange or uncontrolled movement on a trampoline. As mentioned above, the stabilizers are activated before movement to protect the spine. If a move happens unexpectedly, your body doesn’t have time to prepare; the stabilizers will suddenly tighten in a last second attempt to protect the spine. This sudden tension can cause muscle tension.

The trampoline is generally considered a leisure activity, but it is also an exercise. As such, it’s important to warm up with dynamic stretching before jumping and cool down with static stretching after jumping. It’s a good idea to build core strength before spending extended periods of time on a trampoline; stronger muscles suffer less stress.

spinal injury

A more serious spinal injury is also possible. This is primarily a concern if you fell off the board, hit your side, or already have a degenerative spinal problem.

If you fall off a trampoline, you can have a dislocated spinal joint (subluxation) or a vertebral fracture. These can occur in spinal segments from the lower back to the neck, although subluxation is less common in the thoracic spine. Symptoms of subluxation are pain, tenderness, and pain around the affected segment, muscle spasms, stiffness, and weakness in the surrounding area, reduced mobility of the spine, and/or pain, weakness, or numbness in the extremities. Vertebral fracture causes sudden, severe pain that is made worse by standing, walking, bending, and twisting. If you or your child experience any of these symptoms after an awkward landing or fall on the trampoline, seek examination by a medical professional.

Discord associated with jumping on a trampoline can exacerbate pre-existing disc degeneration. The discs work to absorb the impact between the vertebrae; When a disc is worn, bulging, or herniated, it doesn’t cushion the bones around it. Herniated or bulging discs can compress nerves as they leave the spine, causing pain, numbness, and weakness along the nerve pathway to an arm or leg. Jumping on a trampoline can cause asymptomatic disc abnormalities to become symptomatic or can worsen already present symptoms. Although disc wear can occur in younger people, it is more of a concern for people over the age of 30.

Previous injuries are not the only concerns associated with the trampoline. Statistics of serious injuries, mostly suffered by children, have prompted the American Academy of Pediatrics to call for a ban on backyard trampolines. For a list of statistics and other types of injuries, see http://physical-therapy.advanceweb.com/Article/Bouncing-Back-Treating-Trampoline-Injuries.aspx.

If you decide to take the risks of the trampoline, please ensure that all children using the trampoline are supervised and follow the basic safety guidelines provided at http://www.livestrong.com/article/134355-trampoline-safety-rules /.