AthleticNews.com discusses the efforts of communities and states to make safer playgrounds. According to the article, over 200,000 children are treated in emergency rooms for injuries suffered on America’s playgrounds. Serious head injuries, concussions and even catastrophic brain injury can result from slips and falls on asphalt and other surfaces that were once routinely used to cover playgrounds.
Thanks to advances in material science, modern playgrounds are becoming a little safer.
Synthetic materials, such as polyurethane-bound shredded plastic, synthetic rubber tiles and other advanced products represent a high tech approach to mitigating the dangers of playground injuries. On the low-tech end of the spectrum, rounded sand, pea gravel and shredded wood chips provide a forgiving playground surface for children.
