Mother, 36, left with life-changing injuries after family day out at trampoline park

A 36 year old mother of three from Idaho suffered life changing injuries after a family outing to a trampoline park on March 22. While attempting a last bounce on a wipe out attraction, Kirsten Browning landed awkwardly, with her right leg hitting a padded divider and her left leg staying on the trampoline, leading to a tibia fracture and a crushed femur. Doctors later described the damage as a tibia crushed into powder and pieces and a severely damaged femur. The injury required a six hour operation, but the surgery was delayed when a blood clot was found in her system.

The Browning family visited the park on a day with poor weather and decided to stay longer to try the wipe out attraction. They waited for a turn; Browning took a high leap but could not control her path. The incident occurred when she landed; the crack and crunch sound led her husband to fear the machine broke. She recalled the pain as the worst she ever experienced, worse than childbirth.

Staff called emergency services, as Browning could not move after the fall. Paramedics arrived quickly and carried her off the trampoline on a transfer board. She was taken to St Alphonsus Hospital, where doctors had to cut away her leggings because of the severity of the injury. An initial x ray revealed a type five fracture with the tibia split in half and the femur crushed down. The bone in her leg was described as crushed into powder and pieces.

It was not until a hospital admission that Browning learned that a blood clot had been found, preventing immediate surgery. She had to wait several days before surgery could proceed, and during the wait she had to inject herself with blood thinners. She described how she could not bear to put her leg on the ground and had to learn to function with a broken limb while waiting for treatment.

The operation finally took place in a six hour procedure, after which Browning faced a long road to recovery. She could not walk for three months, and her toe could not touch the ground. She underwent physiotherapy and learned that a foot motion problem developed in the wake of the injury. A condition that left her with a foot stop prevented full movement of the ankle, complicating rehabilitation. Six months after the operation, Browning remains in rehabilitation and still walks with the aid of a walker, crutches, and a wheelchair at times. She can drive but walking is difficult, with swelling and persistent pain. She describes her gait as resembling that of a pirate, and she must focus on a careful stepping pattern to minimize pain.

Now Browning warns other parents about the risks of trampoline parks. She says she will never step foot on a trampoline again and urges others to consider the potential dangers of these facilities, noting that injuries at trampoline parks are not uncommon.