TikTok Milk Crate Challenge Could Lead To ‘Life-Threatening’ Injuries, Doctor Warns

The latest viral challenge that is taking social media by storm can potentially lead to broken bones, spinal cord injuries or even bleeding in the brain, doctors have warned.

The Milk Crate Challenge that started on TikTok recently involves climbing milk crates, stacked in a pyramid to give it a stair-like shape, until they get to the top before having to go back down the stacked crates — all without any support or protective gear.

While some completed the challenge, many others have failed, with videos showing people hitting the pavement or the grass when the stacked crates collapse under the weight of the person.

A number of doctors have advised against trying out the "dangerous" challenge since it began spreading online. "You can open up a textbook, and all injuries are on the table," Dr. Rajwinder Deu, a professor of orthopedic surgery at John Hopkins University, told USA Today.

Some of the injuries one could get from falling off the milk crates are torn ligaments, fractured wrists and dislocated hips. However, attempting the challenge could also potentially lead to paralysis or even death if someone suffers a brain or back injury, according to Deu.

A TikToker and general surgeon based in the U.K. who posts medical-related videos to his 4 million followers on the video-sharing platform joined other medical professionals in warning against participating in the social media trend, which he called "incredibly dangerous."

Dr. Karan Rangarajan told Insider that the potential "injuries can range from broken bones, ligament injuries and dislocations to potentially life-threatening ones such as spinal cord injuries or intracranial bleeds [which is] a bleed inside the skull."

Some doctors also pointed out that emergency rooms are already overloaded with COVID-19 patients, and the challenge will only put more stress on hospitals.

"Emergency rooms across the country are already overcrowded, and elective surgeries are being delayed or postponed due to lack of hospital beds," Dr. Shawn Anthony, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, told Today. "This social media challenge puts unnecessary additional stress on our health system and health care providers."

The Food and Drug Administration also weighed in on the Milk Crate Challenge after Conan O'Brien joked on Twitter, "Waiting for FDA approval before I take the Milk Crate Challenge." The comedian posted the tweet after the FDA approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine Monday.

The FDA tweeted a response saying they cannot recommend the challenge.

Now, if one directly searches "milk crate challenge" on TikTok, the platform serves up a message saying, "This phrase may be associated with behavior or content that violates our guidelines."