milk crate challenge

{{Short description|Viral Internet video trend}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}

File:Crate Challenge in Leeland Park.png

The milk crate challenge, also known as the crate challenge, is a video challenge that became viral online in August 2021. The challenge involves stacking milk crates into a structure that resembles a podium, with both sides of the structure functioning as stairs.{{Cite web|date=August 25, 2021|title=TikTok takes action on viral crate challenge|url=https://punchng.com/tiktok-takes-action-on-viral-crate-challenge/|access-date=August 25, 2021|website=Punch Newspapers|language=en-US}} The participant is expected to climb up to the top of the crates and climb back down without destroying the structure or falling, risking injury.{{Cite web|author=Marianne Garvey|title=Conan O'Brien's tweet prompts FDA to discourage #MilkCrateChallenge|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/24/entertainment/milk-crate-challenge-fda-trnd/index.html|access-date=August 25, 2021|website=CNN|date=August 24, 2021 }}{{Cite web|date=August 25, 2021|title=Maybe this is not the best time to be doing the Milk Crate Challenge|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-25/what-is-milk-crate-challenge-viral-videos-doctors/100404942|access-date=August 25, 2021|website=www.abc.net.au|language=en-AU}} The activity has faced criticism by health professionals for its unnecessary risk to personal health.{{cite web|last=Yang|first=Maya|title=Milk crate challenge has doctors warning it's 'worse than falling from a ladder'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/aug/25/milk-crate-challenge-tiktok-doctors-warnings|work=The Guardian|date=August 25, 2021|access-date=August 26, 2021}} Social media platform TikTok, where the trend was popularized, said it would eliminate search results for "milk crate challenge" citing its policy that "prohibits content that promotes or glorifies dangerous acts."{{Cite web|last=Valinsky|first=Jordan|title=TikTok bans the 'milk crate challenge' because of injuries|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/27/business/tiktok-bans-milk-crate-challenge/index.html|access-date=August 27, 2021|website=CNN|date=August 27, 2021 }}

Due to the instability of the stacked crates, participants often fall while ascending or descending the podium, risking serious injury. Falling during the challenge{{Citation|title=Milk crate challenge: Girl's hopes of winning $500 come crashing down|date=August 25, 2021 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/lifestyle/milk-crate-challenge-fail-2021-v9ac1214e |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220514/https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/lifestyle/milk-crate-challenge-fail-2021-v9ac1214e |archive-date=May 14, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=August 25, 2021}} has led to a variety of injuries, including dislocated shoulders and rotator cuff tears, ACL tears, meniscus tears, broken wrists and even spinal cord injuries.{{Cite web|last=Moore|first=Cortney|date=August 25, 2021|title=What is the milk crate challenge? Dangerous craze sweeps social media, FDA weighs in|url=https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/milk-crate-challenge-social-media-trend-fda-tiktok|access-date=August 25, 2021|website=Fox News|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|title=The viral Milk Crate Challenge has left people injured. Doctors are begging them to stop.|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/08/24/milk-crate-challenge/|access-date=August 25, 2021|issn=0190-8286}}

Some medical professionals have warned against attempting the challenge, saying that the relative instability of the stacked crates poses a high risk of injury.{{Cite web|last=Gilbert|first=Asha C.|title=Viral videos are fun, but a broken neck is not. Doctor warns against #milkcratechallenge.|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/08/24/milk-crate-challenge-dangerous-trend/8240952002/|access-date=August 11, 2021|website=USA TODAY|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Shapiro|first=Nina|title=Viral 'Milk Crate Challenge' Is Challenging Virus-Filled Emergency Rooms|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/ninashapiro/2021/08/24/viral-milk-crate-challenge-is-challenging-virus-filled-emergency-rooms/|access-date=August 25, 2021|website=Forbes|language=en}} On August 25, 2021, TikTok made a statement that they will remove videos{{Cite web|date=August 25, 2021|title=TikTok removing 'Milk Crate Challenge' videos amid warnings from doctors, FDA|url=https://fox8.com/news/tiktok-removing-milk-crate-challenge-videos-amid-warnings-from-doctors-fda/|access-date=August 25, 2021|website=Fox 8 Cleveland WJW|language=en-US}} with the hashtag and return a message about TikTok's community standards when a user looks up the #MilkCrateChallenges, according to its guidelines.{{Cite web|last=Davis|first=Barney|date=August 25, 2021|title=Milk crate challenge: Three people shot dead in latest Tik-Tok trend|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/what-is-milk-crate-challenge-tik-tok-instagram-social-trend-shot-b952285.html|access-date=August 25, 2021|website=www.standard.co.uk|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=TikTok makes rare statement after Milk Crate Challenge backlash|url=https://nypost.com/2021/08/25/tiktok-makes-rare-statement-after-milk-crate-challenge-backlash/|access-date=August 25, 2021|website=New York Post|date=August 25, 2021 |language=en-US}} The challenge has also led to the concern of theft within the dairy industry and is considered a crime in many states. Dairy industries lose around $80 million per year due to theft according to the IDFA in 2012.{{cite web |last1=Glum |first1=Julia |title=Doing the TikTok Milk Crate Challenge Could Cost You Hundreds in Fines |url=https://money.yahoo.com/doing-tiktok-milk-crate-challenge-145628592.html |website=Yahoo! Finance |access-date=August 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210826162305/https://money.yahoo.com/doing-tiktok-milk-crate-challenge-145628592.html |archive-date=26 August 2021 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |title=Waiting for FDA approval before I take the Milk Crate Challenge |url=https://twitter.com/US_FDA/status/1429894793484718089 |website=Twitter |publisher=Conan O' Brien}} Some articles noted that there was increased risk to participants as many hospitals were dealing with a surge of the Delta variant of COVID-19 in August 2021.{{Cite web |last=Corbett |first=Erin |title=TikTok's Milk Crate Challenge Is The Latest Dumb Way To Injure Yourself |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2021/08/10644705/tiktok-milk-crate-challenge-dangerous |access-date=2022-09-20 |website=www.refinery29.com |language=en}}

File:Milk Crate Challenge, Blackland Farm.jpg

An earlier and similar challenge is a crate-climbing task offered as a team building exercise by some outdoor activity centers.{{cite book |last1=Anderson |first1=Leigh Ann|last2=Midura |first2=Daniel M |last3=Glover |first3=Donald R |date=23 August 2019 |title=Team Building Through Physical Challenges: A Complete Toolkit |publisher=Human Kinetics, Inc. |isbn=978-1492566922|edition=2nd }} In the task, participants assemble and climb a tall, narrow stack of crates, alternating between climbing the tower and placing more crates to increase its height.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}} When organized by professionals, the use of safety lines and helmets makes the activity safer than in the viral video trend. The world record for the highest crate stack climbed solo was set by Christof Riesenhuber in 2009, when he climbed a single column of 49 beer crates, at a height of {{convert|12.74|m}}.{{cite web |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/crate-climbing-highest |title=Crate climbing - highest |author= |date=18 September 2009 |website=Guinness World Records |access-date=5 June 2022 |quote=}}