Screen grab of the Skullbreaker challenge (Youtube) Screen grab of the Skullbreaker challenge (Youtube)

The latest social media trend to grab eyeballs and the attention of authorities, the Skullbreaker challenge, unlike most of its contemporaries, is dangerous and sometimes can be even life-threatening.

What is the Skullbreaker challenge?

The social media challenge, popularised on short-form video-sharing app TikTok, requires three participants standing side by side with two of them knocking the third off balance while they jump together in the air. It, however, appears to have started as a prank with one of the participants not knowing he was going to be tripped by the other two.

It follows other viral (read: life-threatening) challenges including ‘outlet challenge’ and the ‘eye flash challenge’.

The challenge derives its name from the Spanish word Rompcráneos, or ‘Skullbreaker’ in English. Like with most social media trends, it is unknown who first came up with it. However, one of the first videos that went viral was shot in a school in Venezuela. It then went on to trend in Europe and United States. India, fortunately, has so far not taken up the “challenge”.

Skullbreaker challenge: Why it isn’t child’s play

The free fall can result in head injuries, fractures in the joint, and can even break your skull — literally. And the fact that it doesn’t involve the consent of the unsuspecting individual who is being tripped, amounts to, at the very least, bullying.

A mother from Arizona took to Facebook after her son was admitted to the hospital with a head injury, stitches to his face, and severe cuts to his mouth. In the post, she clarifies that her son was told it was a “jumping contest” and that “two boys kicked him” when they jumped together and he landed hard on the floor and became unconscious. “The premise of the prank is to get an unsuspecting individual to jump, so the pranksters can kick/trip the person to see how hard they fall,” she writes.

Spanish police have warned youth against attempting the challenge after a video of a boy in Venezuela suffering grievous injuries went viral. The boy ended up in the Intensive Care Unit, according to The Sun. The boy’s school in a statement said they have initiated preventive and corrective measures against the students who participated in the challenge.

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As the challenge gained momentum, more kids have taken up the challenge and have shared the video of the same on various social media platforms. According to the Mirror, a student was hospitalised after sustaining wrist injury while performing the challenge.

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