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There is good evidence that the rubber "safety" matting that's common on new playgrounds causes significantly more long-bone injuries (broken arms and legs) tha

There is good evidence that the rubber "safety" matting that's common on new playgrounds causes significantly more long-bone injuries (broken arms and legs) than previous surfaces like wood chips. Kids test the limits and play up to the point of pain, so they'll leap off structures onto rubber matting in a way that they wouldn't do onto wood chips or pea gravel. In the name of "safety", we're using surfaces that prevent scrapes and road rash, but have higher risk of more significant injuries when you account for the change in kid behavior.

skavi 7y ago
Why not use rubber mulch then? Lots of playgrounds already use it, and it offers the cushioning of wood chips and the "softness" of rubber matting.
- PetahNZ 7y ago
  I think he means wood chips hurt, so kids don't jump off things from so high, so its less likely to break bones.
  - alexhutcheson 7y ago
    My understanding (not an expert) is that it's a combination of less high jumps/falls because "wood chips hurt", and reduced long bone injuries for the jumps/falls that due occur due to differences in the way the material responds to the impact. Wood chips slide and absorb some of the kinetic energy, while rubber matting (and probably rubber chips?) stay in place and rebound the energy back.
    - robocat 7y ago
      As a kid there was gravel under the monkey bars. Not sure if it taught you not to fall (I did fall, a lot!), but it definitely hurt when you did!
- ip26 7y ago
  I visited a playground made of some kind of rubber mulch, maybe chippered tires. The sun was out in force (hot summer day, 10k ft). You could see the haze of chemicals hovering over the chips as they offgassed, as well as smell them.
glaurung_ 7y ago
I suspect the bone injuries come from the traction you get on those mats more than perceived safety. In the gravel if you put your arm out to catch a fall, it slips (and you scuff up your palms, learning not to do that next time), whereas on rubber mats it sticks and can end up taking the whole force of your fall.
nimnio 7y ago
I'd like to see that evidence.

skavi 7y ago

Why not use rubber mulch then? Lots of playgrounds already use it, and it offers the cushioning of wood chips and the "softness" of rubber matting.

PetahNZ 7y ago
I think he means wood chips hurt, so kids don't jump off things from so high, so its less likely to break bones.
- alexhutcheson 7y ago
  My understanding (not an expert) is that it's a combination of less high jumps/falls because "wood chips hurt", and reduced long bone injuries for the jumps/falls that due occur due to differences in the way the material responds to the impact. Wood chips slide and absorb some of the kinetic energy, while rubber matting (and probably rubber chips?) stay in place and rebound the energy back.
  - robocat 7y ago
    As a kid there was gravel under the monkey bars. Not sure if it taught you not to fall (I did fall, a lot!), but it definitely hurt when you did!
ip26 7y ago
I visited a playground made of some kind of rubber mulch, maybe chippered tires. The sun was out in force (hot summer day, 10k ft). You could see the haze of chemicals hovering over the chips as they offgassed, as well as smell them.

glaurung_ 7y ago

I suspect the bone injuries come from the traction you get on those mats more than perceived safety. In the gravel if you put your arm out to catch a fall, it slips (and you scuff up your palms, learning not to do that next time), whereas on rubber mats it sticks and can end up taking the whole force of your fall.

nimnio 7y ago

I'd like to see that evidence.