You might have been there.
It is a gorgeous summer’s day, there is a big trampoline to jump on (and those things can be inviting even as adults), and you just want a quick ‘bounce’ for a couple of minutes.
Will it matter if you leave your shoes on? Are shoes bad for trampolines?
That is what we are going to investigate today.
So let’s get started…
Are Shoes Bad For Trampolines?
Wearing shoes on a trampoline is not a good idea for three reasons. Firstly, it is more likely you will get injured by slipping over or your shoes twisting as you land, secondly, the hard soles are more likely to damage the trampoline and thirdly jumping barefoot improves your balance, strength and flexibility.
The long and short of it is that shoes and trampolines are a bad combination, and it is not a good idea to wear shoes on a trampoline for three main reasons.
Reason #1: It Can Be Dangerous For You and Others
Wearing shoes on a trampoline is much more dangerous for you and anyone on the trampoline with you for a number of reasons.
The thick soles of shoes/trainers mean that your feet are not always flat on the mat when you are in contact with it.
That increases the risk of you suffering a twisted ankle or worse if your shoes shift whilst jumping, or if you land on the side of your shoe as you come down from a jump.
Then of course there is the chance you accidentally catch someone in the face with your shoe as you come down from jumping and they go up, or vice-versa.
Also, your laces can come undone, and you could either trip on them or your shoes could come off completely.
And the grip on the sole of any shoe is not much good on the sheeny surface of a trampoline.
In short, there are all kinds of accidents waiting to happen…
Reason #2: Going Barefoot is Good For Your Health
Linked to the above, when you jump on a trampoline barefooted, you have much better control over your jump.
That is because the foot is amazingly flexible and, when it works in tandem with the human brain, you can adjust your balance in a split second.
So if you come down from a jump awkwardly barefooted, you will be able to regain your balance and or adjust yourself accordingly much more quickly than if you are wearing a hard-soled shoe.
In fact there are a whole number of health benefits associated with being barefoot, which include improving balance and strength and stimulating the nervous system and which in turn builds up your immune system.
Strong and healthy feet play an important role in your overall health.
If your feet are not in a good condition it makes exercising much more difficult, so help your children develop good habits and healthy feet by trampolining barefoot.
It could lead to a much healthier life for them.
Reason #3: You Could Damage the Trampoline
Aside from the damage you could do to yourself wearing shoes on a trampoline, you are also likely to damage the trampoline.
Continual contact between a hard-soled shoe and the polypropylene mat of a trampoline will gradually cause holes to form through prolonged wear.
This can be exacerbated by the things that can get stuck in the tread of a shoe.
Even if you think your shoes are pretty clean there is a likelihood there will be something stuck in the tread of your shoe, whether that be tiny pieces of stone, dirt, tar or more.
And once a small hole is formed, it won’t take long for it to increase in size.
Other items like bubble gum can cause all kinds of issues if they get unwittingly transferred from the sole of a shoe to a trampoline.
Then of course there is animal poop, which is the last thing you want to get on your trampoline when you have a host of kids on it…
Can You Wear Socks On A Trampoline?
Wearing socks on a trampoline is a better bet than wearing shoes because at least you have more of an element of control and it is less likely to damage the surface.
But, normal socks are slippery, so there is still a chance you could hurt yourself or others and also they will wear through very quickly if you are using them every day to jump on a trampoline.
But there are specialist trampoline socks you can buy.
These have an anti-skid sole, with rubber dots on the heel that gives you grip and will stop you from sliding all over the place on a trampoline.
If you don’t want to go barefoot on a trampoline this is your answer.
Why Are You Required to Wear Socks at a Trampoline Park?
The simple answer is hygiene.
Unfortunately at a big commercial operation like a trampoline park, there will be people there will germ-ridden feet, that might contain some nasty fungi.
And you obviously don’t want that spreading across a trampoline and being picked up by others.
Thus you are asked to wear socks to prevent this from happening.
Final Thoughts
So as you can see it is a bad idea to wear shoes on a trampoline, both for your health and that of the trampoline!
Going barefoot provides you with much greater control when you are jumping, and also improves your balance, strength and flexibility.
It will also mean the trampoline isn’t damaged by hard-soled shoes, so it is a win-win situation.
If you decide you do want something on your feet then buy some specialist trampoline socks, they are fairly inexpensive and will last longer and give you much more grip than normal socks.
Happy jumping!