Nurse left screaming in agony after snapping her leg at Preston trampoline park
A senior nurse has warned about the dangers of visiting trampoline parks after snapping her leg jumping in a foam pit at a Lancashire venue.
Jodie Wright, 36, was visiting Flip Out trampoline park in Preston - which describes itself as the ‘biggest and best adventure park’, for her daughter’s birthday last February.
But when she jumped off a plastic stepping stone into a foam pit below she was left ‘screaming in agony’ after severely injuring her ankle and leg when she fell. After putting on special socks designed to increase grip on the trampolines and watching the safety video she attempted the Stepping Stones attraction - a series of plastic columns increasing in size. Speaking of her ordeal she said: “I found them quite hard work. So I jumped in the pit filled with foam pieces as instructed but instead of breaking my fall my foot hit the bottom and I heard a crack and knew something bad had happened.
“I jumped just like the video shows and I was still injured.” Staff heard her screams and lowered a small step ladder into the pit and two of them helped her out to the side.
She says a female first aider suggested she hadn’t been badly injured suggesting she had just ‘sprained her ankle’.
“As a nurse I know the difference between a sprain and a break. And I heard the crack.
“It wasn’t just broken, my leg was shattered.”
She got a lift to Royal Preston hospital where X-rays revealed she had suffered a Pilon Fracture (a break in the shinbone (tibia) near the ankle) involving her leg and ankle joint – requiring surgery.
She later had to have metalwork and screws inserted in her leg to put it back together.
Nursing trainer Jodie who at the time of the accident was working as a GP practice nurse in Lincoln city added: “When the nurse touched my toe I screamed in agony.
“Having also been a surgical nurse I was so nervous to be on the other side as I knew how serious my injury was and that I had a long recovery ahead.”
The following day she underwent surgery. She added: “The surgeon said it was a hard impact injury and my ankle was just mush and some bone was halfway up my leg. It was horrific to hear.”
Despite living in Lincoln, Jodie was forced to stay in Fulwood in Preston with her partner to recover due to the severity of her injuries.
She now lives full-time in Preston and said she was given a Zimmer frame as she couldn’t do any weight bearing on her injured leg and ankle.
She still has metalwork in her leg and has since been told she may need further surgery and has pain in her hip after limping through her injury.
Now she is taking legal action against the Flip Out park for negligence and is warning others about the dangers posed by trampoline parks. Following her accident, she contacted trampoline park injury specialists Express Solicitors who have made a formal claim against Flip Out Preston.
Senior Injury expert Paul Stanley added: “Jodie went for an afternoon of fun and has been left with significant injuries.
“Park owners are under a duty to make sure their premises and attractions such as this are safe for all visitors."
A spokesperson for Flip Out said they were constantly reviewing procedures to ensure equipment is as safe as possible.
“Flip Out Preston is a franchisee owned location. Flip Out treats every injury seriously. Safety is of the utmost importance to us as an organisation.
“This was an isolated incident that was reviewed and investigated thoroughly.“Safety of our customers at the heart of what we do, and it is our number one priority.”
Sign up for our free newsletters now Two former owners of another Flip Out trampoline park in Chester David Shuttleworth and Matthew Melling were handed 250 hours community service and a fine earlier this year after pleading guilty to health and safety violations after 11 people broke their backs in their venue.
Jodie added: “Trampoline parks are still a real danger. People need to be aware.
“I visited a Flip Out for a day trip last year but ended up having to stay in the area for over a month as I was left unabe to walk.”
“I lost my independence and had to rely on my partner to help me wash and dress.
“I am still in pain most days and have been told my symptoms are likely to be for life.”