Mom Blogger Breaks Spine Attempting Viral TikTok Challenge

Social Media Trend Leads to Serious Injury

A popular Russian mommy blogger, **Mariana Barutkina**, has suffered a serious spinal injury after attempting a viral TikTok challenge. The trend involves recreating a famous pose by rapper **Nicki Minaj**.

Viral Trend Goes Wrong

The social media challenge, inspired by **Nicki Minaj’s** 2013 music video for “High School,” sees participants balancing on stacked objects while striking a specific pose. The risky maneuver requires standing on one foot in heels.

In a recent attempt, **Mariana Barutkina**, who had given birth only weeks prior, reportedly climbed onto a kitchen counter. She was balancing on a saucepan and baby formula cans when she lost her footing and fell.

Spinal Fracture Diagnosis

Following the fall, **Barutkina** was diagnosed with a Th9 compression fracture. She shared the news on Instagram, documenting the incident and its aftermath.

“I decided to start blogging. And here I am leaving the doctor diagnosed with Th9 compression bending uncomplicated fracture of the body.”

—Mariana Barutkina

She reflected on the situation, questioning if it was irony, karma, or simply life’s way of testing resilience. Despite the injury, **Barutkina** assured her followers that both she and her newborn are well. She mentioned her baby was being cared for by nannies during the time of the filming.

Unexpected Fame

The influencer noted that the video, despite its unfortunate outcome, led to unexpected online fame. She stated that over fifty people had shared the clip with her from various publications.

“Because of one video, which was unsuccessfully filmed, I woke up a popular person. More than 50 people sent me my reel from different publications today.”

—Mariana Barutkina

The trend has gained significant traction online, with other public figures, including singer **Ciara**, also participating. However, the incident involving **Barutkina** serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers associated with undertaking such challenges.

The rise of viral challenges on platforms like TikTok highlights the immense pressure influencers often feel to create engaging content, sometimes at considerable personal risk. In 2023, the hashtag #challenge garnered over 2.1 trillion views on TikTok globally, indicating the widespread participation in these trends.