Parents are being warned about the potential dangers of trampolines and bouncy castles.

According to the VHI SwiftCare Clinics, which are based in Dublin and Cork, May is typically the time when bounce-related injuries tend to become more common because of the Communion season and the oncoming summer.

In May 2014, the clinics treated 63 bounce-related breaks and sprains, 60% of which were due to trampolines, while the remainder were due to bouncy castles.

In the first two weeks of this May, the clinics have already dealt with 23 such injuries.

Almost 40% of these injuries occur in children under the age of 10, while almost 60% are in young people aged between 11 and 21. The youngest person to be treated in a Swiftcare Clinic for this type of injury was 32 months, while the oldest was 53 years.

Girls are slightly more likely to get injured than boys, and not surprisingly, lower limbs are the parts of the body most likely to be affected, such as feet, ankles and legs.

"May is typically when we start to see injuries of this kind. While the weather tends to be warmer in May, it can also be showery which can make trampolines and bouncy castles particularly slippy and dangerous. We are calling on parents to take a number of straight forward precautions with a view to minimising the chance of their child incurring a nasty break or sprain," commented VHI Swiftcare Clinics' medical director, Dr Brian Gaffney.

He suggested a number of tips to help people stay safe on trampolines and bouncy castles:
-Always have a responsible adult supervising
-Ideally, there should only be one child on at a time. If this is not the case, ensure the children are the same age and size and are not wearing shoes or sharp items, such as belts
-Do not allow anyone to attempt flips or somersaults
-Ensure bouncy castles are properly anchored and there are no rips or gaps in the netting around trampolines
-Make sure the surface is dry
-Make sure trampolines and bouncy castles are on grass, away from hard surfaces and protruding items
-If adults get on, make sure that there is only one at a time and that no alcohol has been consumed.

If someone gets injured, try to stay calm and do not rush them into standing up. If they cannot feel any part of their body, hit their head or lose consciousness, call an ambulance.

If there is a bad break, i.e. bone has broken through the skin, go straight to your nearest Emergency Department (ED).

If a strain, sprain or break is suspected, remember to PRICE (Protect, Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate).