Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Springfree Trampolines and Special Needs Kids

A sponsored post:
Over the last year, we have been looking at ways to make life easier. Tools we can use that are therapeutic and also enjoyable. A few months ago I started researching trampolines as a therapy tool for both girls. I am a big researcher for everything I buy and particularly when it comes to therapy tools. Miss A and Miss L are both very adventurous and over confident so safety was my number one priority. After a bit of reading I came across Springfree Trampoline. I had heard of the brand before but never knew the difference between them and the cheaper trampoline brands. So I got reading and also asked people who had one to tell me about their experiences...

 Some of the most important factors for me:

* No springs means no landing on metal or slipping a hand or foot through. Even with mats, my kids have managed to get in between springs on other traditional trampolines.

* The metal frame is completely hidden underneath the trampoline. There are no hard surfaces to fall onto or even run into when playing in the backyard.
 
* The soft-edge mat can even be jumped on right at the edge. Mats over springs move and are not designed to be jumped on

* No steel poles! Miss L has run into a pole on a traditional trampoline and got a bruised head. The Springfree net is flexible and bounces the jumper back onto the mat and the net rods are flexible too.


I'm also the nerdy type that likes to see hard facts and research. Did you know Springfree Trampoline made changes that reduce product-related injuries by 90%?
I then looked into how a Springfree Trampoline could help my girls. With both girls we face several of the same issues:
* Pore core strength and stability
* Hypermobile joints
* Poor proprioceptive awareness
* Sensory issues.

For Miss A cerebral palsy means some parts of her are overdeveloped like her calves and other areas need work like her core strength and abs. Miss L needs work on balance and overall strength. Just about everything you do on a trampoline requires good balance and strength. Unlike physio and therapy which is seen as "work" by the girls a trampoline is fun and free!

When I looked at research into how trampolines can benefit kids like mine, I found a lot of research showed it wasn't safe to use a traditional-style tramp. Some said the dangers of the traditional trampoline outweighed the benefits. This problem is negated when you consider the safety aspects of Springfree Trampolines. I kept digging and talked to every therapist we had around us. This is what I came up with:
* NASA found that spatial awareness could be increased with the use of a trampoline
* There is decreased pressure on the joints so it is safer to exercise on a trampoline for children with hypermobile or loose joints
* A study done by Cornell Hospital shows trampolines increase proprioceptive awareness as jumpers get used to their body being in unusual positions
* Bouncing stimulates every sensory input in the body providing great multi-sensory input.

Sources

So after all of that, we settled on a Springfree Trampoline as being the safest trampoline and one built to last. If you are paying for quality you want to make sure you are getting it. Springfree is the only trampoline to pass all of the Safety Standards (which sadly are only voluntary at the moment) and it was the only trampoline company to be recommended by consumer watchdog Choice, out of 12 brands tested recently. 


Springfree is celebrating their 10th anniversary as a global business this year which goes to show how long they’ve been in the market and how successful their product is. And it’s all thanks to a man named Keith Alexander who spent 15 years inventing and developing the Springfree design because he wanted safety for his own three children.

This post has been sponsored by Springfree Trampolines. Remember, all of the opinions about trampolines are mine but if you’d like to read more of the research, then I’d encourage you to follow the links I’ve included. I am so impressed with Springfree Trampoline and its benefits that I would love to spread the word so other families, especially those with special needs kids, can see how it can benefit them as well. Having a Springfree Trampoline is a major opportunity to improve my girls’ lives.
 

"Up she goes: This is our Springfree Trampoline midway through installation. Two things I love about Springfrees over traditional tramps are the fact that there are no dangerous springs at the jumping surface (those clever white rods replace the springs) and there's a soft edge on the mat (the black frame part is well under the kids while they jump!)."
 

Running head first into the net doesn't cause any damage. She bounces back and doesn't hit any
metal poles.

                                                  Even big kids can have a bounce!


 
Miss L learning how to jump.
 
 
 
 
Miss A loves the tramp and pushes it to it's safety limit, crashing into the net.

8 comments:

  1. Is it wrong that my favourite photo is the one of you?! I always wanted a trampoline growing up. I'm on Tricky's quite a bit more than I thought I would be (when not preggers!).

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    1. We had a tramp as a kid and I forgot that feeing of freedom! I love it as much as they do

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  2. I love our Springfree trampoline. Like you we bought it for our special needs and it has been great for us all! Enjoy!

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    1. Thanks Annaleis the benefits to our kids are huge.

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  3. Congrats on your Springfree trampoline!! So much fun & great for their mobility/co-ordination xx

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    1. Thanks! Miss L is learning how to jump and that is a big thing for mobility.

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  4. They run good giveaways too. Love the tramp. Especially when a child is sight impaired this one is the best.

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    1. Great point, sight impaired children can still have fun on a Springfree.

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