Social media influencer Mariana Barutkina, 32, has suffered a serious spinal injury after attempting the dangerous viral Nicki Minaj challenge known as the “stiletto challenge.”
The challenge mimics a pose by rapper Nicki Minaj in her High School music video. It features Minaj’s iconic crouch, in which she balances in stilettos with one leg crossed over the other.
However, like many other content creators across all social media platforms, Barutkina attempted the stunt on her kitchen countertop, standing in stilettos atop a jar of baby food stacked on a saucepan.
She lost her balance and fell backwards off the counter, with video footage of the moment quickly spreading online. The fall resulted in a compression flexion fracture of her spine, according to medical reports.
Nigerian TikToker Chenemi shared her thoughts with The News Chronicle, saying:
“It’s funny because Nicki Minaj never asked anyone to jump on the challenge, and besides, she didn’t actually do anything outrageous in the pose. She did it on bare ground with wedge heels, which are quite balanced, not on ridiculous objects and pointy heels. If you’re not a trained athlete, why jump on that trend?”
Chenemi added:
“She just gave birth, which is not a really wise decision to try that kind of pose. Speaking of trends… if it’s something you can do, there’s no problem in trying it. No one actually forced anyone to do any challenge they come across. Avoid the outrageous ones and stick to your niche if you’re a content creator.”
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Many social media users questioned the wisdom behind recreating such a dangerous pose, given that Barutkina had given birth just eight weeks earlier.
Following her injury, Barutkina said of the experience in an Instagram post:
“I decided to start a blog, my first content shoot — and here I am leaving the doctor’s with a diagnosis. Irony? Karma? Or just life, which always tests our strength at the most unexpected moment.”
Amid concerns for her child’s welfare, she clarified:
“Whoever worries about my child should also be calm, he has two nannies and while I was filming one of them was with him.”
While some fans expressed support and wished her a quick recovery, others criticized her judgment:
“And she looked like an adult,” one user commented.
“Well, you’re all like teenagers climbing street signs, kindergarten,” another added.
Others believe her fall should mark the end of the trend:
“Get well soon, you can close the trend. No one will beat you,” one user remarked.
