Boise mother left relearning to walk after leg crushed in trampoline-park accident

A Boise mother says a family outing to a trampoline park in March ended with a catastrophic leg injury that has left her relearning how to walk and vowing never to use a trampoline again.

Kirsten Browning, 36, said she was on a Wipe Out obstacle-course attraction with family members when she jumped and landed with her legs splayed, striking a divider and padding. She said she heard multiple cracks and immediately felt that she could not move. Her husband called 911 and she was transported to St. Alphonsus Hospital in Boise, where X-rays and surgeons found extensive damage.

Browning said doctors told her the tibia in her lower right leg had split in half and the femur was "crunched down" into what she described as "powder and pieces." She said a six-hour operation was performed several days later to try to repair the bones. The life coach said she initially feared she might never walk again.

"I heard the cracks as I landed and I fell backwards on the trampoline and I just grabbed my leg. It was bent. I couldn't move," Browning said. She told reporters the pain was worse than unmedicated childbirth and that family members, including her husband and sister's boyfriend, were horrified by the sound when she landed.

During early rehabilitation she developed swelling and inflammation around the injury that limited mobility and slowed recovery, Browning said. Physical therapists also diagnosed her with a condition known as foot drop, in which weakness or paralysis of the muscles makes it difficult to lift the front part of the foot. Browning said therapists warned that if the foot drop did not improve she would not be able to walk.

Browning said she was unable to walk for three months after the operation and has relied on a wheelchair, walker and crutches during recovery. She described the emotional toll of the process, saying she "cried all the time" but that her faith and the prospect of eventual healing kept her going. Nearly six months after the accident she continues to practice walking and to manage pain and swelling.

"As an adult I always love to participate in activities with my kids and engage with them. I will still continue to do that with things that I can, but this has altered my year and my life," Browning said. She said she will work to raise awareness for other parents and has vowed never to step foot on a trampoline again.

Public health data underscore the frequency of trampoline-related injuries. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates about 100,000 trampoline-related injuries are treated in emergency rooms each year, with fractures, soft-tissue injuries and dislocations among the most common.

Browning's account highlights the risks adult participants can face at recreational trampoline facilities, where attractions such as obstacle courses and interactive machines can produce high-energy impacts. She urged other parents to be cautious and informed after experiencing a sudden, life-altering injury during what she said was meant to be a routine family outing.

St. Alphonsus Hospital did not provide immediate comment for this report. Browning continues to receive outpatient physical therapy and said she is focusing on small milestones as she works toward recovery.