There’s no doubt that Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is a smash hit. As such, it’s taken the internet by storm, and trends are emerging.
The “#BarbieFootChallenge” Went Viral on TikTok
One such trend is the “Barbie Foot Challenge,” a viral game where people try to emulate the arch of a Barbie’s feet by standing on their tiptoes. The number of views for videos under the hashtag “#BarbieFootChallenge” has exceeded 1 million – but doctors are concerned.
Medical Professionals Have Released Warnings
Despite the popularity of the trend, not everyone is impressed. In fact, medical professionals are quite concerned and have asked fans to rethink participating in the challenge. Sari Priesand, a podiatrist at the University of Michigan, said that repeatedly mimicking Barbie’s arched foot could lead to injury: “I think it’s okay to try this trend once to see if you can achieve it. But if you’re repeatedly trying to do it or trying to walk in that way, it’s just not natural. Doing this for extended periods of time can be dangerous and cause injuries. Leave the Barbie feet to the Barbies.”
Dangerous TikTok Trends Seem to Be Common
This is far from the first time a dangerous trend has gone viral on TikTok. In fact, they seem to be increasingly common. In 2021, the “Milk Crate Challenge” went viral, a challenge where people attempted to climb milk crates without falling. But it gets worse – some TikTok challenges have actually caused deaths.
The Blackout Challenge
The “Blackout Challenge” was a viral game in which people choked themselves on camera until they lost consciousness. In July 2022, TikTok was hit with a wrongful-death lawsuit after two girls, both under the age of 10, tragically died doing so. In comparison, the “Barbie Foot Challenge” appears infinitely safer but – as Priesand pointed out – it’s not without risk.
But Some Doubted Priesand’s Advice
Some online commenters doubted Priesand’s advice, claiming their own anecdotal experience outweighed it. One individual wrote: “I’m short, and when I worked in a restaurant, where everything I needed was above my head, I walked like this constantly. No short-term or long-term issues, but I did develop some great calves.”
Others Called For TikTok to Be Banned
Some online commenters called for TikTok to be banned. “Just ban that app. Don’t wait for them to do a poison challenge,” one person said. “That app needs to go. It’s just dangerous trend after dangerous trend. How many kids are gonna get hurt or die before someone does something?” another wrote.
Some Insulted the Intelligence of Gen Alpha and Gen Z
Some online commenters used the story as an excuse to insult the intelligence of Gen Alpha and younger members of Gen Z, the two age groups who most commonly participate in viral challenges. Members of Gen Z are currently aged between 11 and 26, while members of Gen Alpha are between the ages of 0 and 10.
Others Questioned Why High Heels Are Okay
Other commenters wondered why, if walking on your tiptoes is so bad, doctors don’t release warnings about the dangers of high heels. One individual wrote: “What about high heels? Seriously, those have been around for years. There is a negative cultural significance – impaired mobility. But there are multiple defensive uses of a stiletto heel.”
Some Wanted More Information
Plenty of people wanted more information about the potential risks. “What is the long-term damage to the unseen cartilage and joints? Does it create early arthritis and other disabling symptoms?” one individual asked. Others echoed the question, requesting more specific information.
Others Demanded Children Be Stripped of Their Medical Insurance
Some online commenters suggested stripping the people who participate in these challenges of their medical insurance. “All medical insurance plans should have a TikTok challenge exclusion. You can do it as much as you like but we aren’t paying for it,” one person wrote – a very dark comment when you consider that the majority of people who participate in TikTok challenges are children.
TikTokers Can Do Better
Some online commenters talked about how TikTokers could use their platforms to do good but, instead, promote dangerous challenges. While this doesn’t necessarily apply to the children participating in these viral games, the commenter definitely has a point when it comes to adults. They wrote: “These TikTok people need to work on what they can do to help others, yet they decide to do things that could hurt people.”
On the Whole, People Were Dismissive
Whether it was passing off TikTok users as stupid or doubting the advice of medical professionals, people were – on the whole – dismissive. This is a situation where individuals would do well to remember that medical professionals know their stuff and that, most glaringly, a huge amount of TikTok users are children who are impressionable, not stupid.
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