Bravo Sports Trampoline Recall Issued Due to Risk of Collapse

About 160,000 Bravo Sports trampolines have been recalled due to reports of problems where the rails may bend or break, which could cause the trampoline to collapse and cause serious injury. 

The trampoline recall was announced on Thursday by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) after the manufacturer, Bravo Sports, received nearly 250 reports of the top rail bending or breaking during normal use. There have been four reports of people who were injured by the trampolines.

According to the CPSC, the problem occurs when the trampolines are incorrectly assembled, and the bent or broken railings can result in a partial collapse of the trampoline during normal use. This poses a fall hazard for consumers.

The recall affects about 160,000 Bravo Sports AirZone and Variflex trampolines with the model numbers 137083 (with wheels), 137536, 137683, 138088, 138467, 138472, 138489, 139275, 139283, 139284, 139300 and 139706. They come in 12-foot, 13-foot and 14-foot sizes and are sold in the colors blue, red and yellow.

The trampolines were sold at sporting goods and retail stores nationwide, as well as on the internet, from January 2007 through September 2010 for between $200 and $400.

The CPSC recommends that consumers immediately stop using the trampolines and contact Bravo Sports at www.airzonevariflex-recall.com for information on how to inspect the trampolines for damage and revised assembly instructions, as well as how to get replacement rails and legs for trampolines that have already been damaged.

At home trampolines have been widely recognized as dangerous products, especially for children. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that trampolines never be purchased for home use, and that parents should not to allow their children to play on trampolines at the homes of others. In addition, the American Medical Association has also urged parents not to allow children to play on trampolines.

A recent study by Rhode Island Hospital researchers found that an average of 88,563 children are taken to the emergency room every year for a trampoline injury, 95%, happen on home trampolines. The study was presented at a 2007 American Academy of Pediatrics annual meeting and showed a significant increase in trampoline injuries from previous years.

Adults using trampolines are encouraged to read all material provided by a manufacturer, make sure shock-absorbing material is laid down under and around the trampoline, periodically check the trampoline for wear, and to never use the trampoline during hours of darkness. Users are also encouraged to do warm up exercises before using trampolines and not to dismount by jumping off.

Additionally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported that more than half of all trampoline injuries, adult or child, occurred when there were two or more people using a trampoline simultaneously.