Woman Breaks Spine Attempting Nicki Minaj ‘High School’ TikTok Challenge
Published on August 6, 2025 at 12:17 PM by Evance Kapito
A 32-year-old Russian influencer, Mariana Barutkina, has sustained an injury to her spine after attempting to take part in the viral Nicki Minaj “Stiletto Challenge” that has taken TikTok by storm. The risky trend, set to Minaj’s song High School, encourages users to balance in high heels while striking dramatic poses.
Barutkina, who had recently given birth, posted a video of herself trying the challenge inside her kitchen. In the footage, she is seen standing on a jar of baby food placed on a saucepan before climbing onto a countertop in stilettos. As she attempted a one-foot squat in heels, she lost balance and fell backwards off the counter, landing hard on the floor.
She was later diagnosed with a Th9 compression bending uncomplicated spinal fracture.
“I decided to start blogging, the first content shooting and here I am, leaving the doctor,” Barutkina wrote in the video caption. “The irony? Karma? Or just life, which always tests our strength at the most unexpected moment.”
Despite the injury, Barutkina expressed no regrets over the incident. In a follow-up Instagram post, she shared that the mishap had unexpectedly brought her viral fame.
“Because of one video, which was unsuccessfully filmed, I woke up a popular person,” she wrote. “More than 50 people sent me my reel from different publications today… I’m doing great, following the guidelines, and now living in ‘star’ status.”
Reactions on social media have been mixed, with many users criticising the recklessness of the challenge while others wished her a speedy recovery.
“Nicki was not standing on anything but doing this on the side of a pole. It’s one thing to be creative, but another to physically hurt yourself,” one user wrote.
“This is the dumbest challenge, and the fact people are actually doing it… good grief,” added another.
The “Stiletto Challenge” has recently gone viral across TikTok and Instagram, prompting warnings from health professionals over the risks of serious injuries.
