Viral ‘Milk Crate Challenge’ Knocking People Off Their Feet and Into Hospital Beds

Viral ‘Milk Crate Challenge’ Knocking People Off Their Feet and Into Hospital Beds

Over the last couple of decades, there has been an excess of social media trends and challenges. Some challenges have been utilized to spread awareness on certain issues, such as the Ice Bucket Challenge, in which buckets of ice were poured on heads to promote awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Other challenges have been just for fun, like the Cinnamon Challenge, where people attempted to swallow spoonsful of cinnamon, or the Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge, in which people suctioned their lips into small jars, making them swell in size. Though, there’s a new kid in town–The Milk Crate Challenge.

This challenge involves building a wobbly staircase out of milkcrates stacked high in the air, then attempting to climb up one side of the rickety stairs and down the other without the whole thing collapsing–and likely taking the participant with it. This mini obstacle course has people channeling their inner Olympian, and champions are celebrated with grandeur. One video features a woman completing the challenge effortlessly in heels, while another shows a man dramatically stopping to read a book once he makes it to the top.

 

However, it’s been well advised to not try this one at home. As seen on social media, the possibility of completing this challenge is very low. Most people are failing this challenge, and they are not failing gracefully. People are comparing this trend to another strongly discouraged craze, The Tide Pod Challenge, where individuals actually consumed the laundry detergent Tide Pods. Even the FDA has chimed in on the situation via Twitter claiming they “can’t recommend” people to try the challenge.

Viral videos show participants of the challenge plummeting hard, narrowly missing their necks and other visceral areas. Mount Sinai hospital’s Shawn Anthony asserts that the Milk Crate Challenge may do even more damage than “falling from a ladder,” according to The Guardian.  This is alarming to healthcare officials, being the trend has been spreading throughout all social media platforms.

Moreover, a “metro Atlanta health care worker reported” seeing two cases Sunday of fractured and broken bones from attempting the viral challenge according to WSB-TV. And with the challenge’s spread, there are likely to be more injuries that are likely more serious than broken bones.

In response to doctor opinions and reported injuries from the challenge, Tik Tok, where the challenge got its start, has been removing the videos featuring The Milk Crate challenge as they are working towards prohibiting “content that promotes or glorifies dangerous acts” according to Tik Tok itself. It is hoped that this trend dies down before more people do extreme damage to their bodies.