Study finds 'Jerusalema' challenge can cause serious injury, Durban specialist agrees
Clearly, these folks can't do it like us South Africans...
It feels like just yesterday we were scrolling through our timelines and they were filled with every adaption, variation, and possible attempt at the #JerusalemaChallenge.
READ: WATCH: Durban female police officers join 'Jerusalema' dance challenge
The entertainment the song and dance challenge provided was one of the highlights of the last year and will forever live on in the history books.
It was a major iconic moment for Master KG and South Africa!
READ: Why Nomcebo Zikode hasn't received any payment for 'Jerusalema'
However, over a year later, an Irish study is trying to rain on our 'Jerusalema' parade.
A study that has been published in the International Journal of Surgery Case Reports has found that the viral dance challenge could cause some medical issues for social dancers.
READ: German police ordered to pay up for participating in ‘Jerusalema’ dance challenge
The study is based on three case studies and if found that the Achilles tendon could snap as a result of the sudden push-off move that is part of the dance. This injury would then subsequently lead to surgery.
Although they highlighted the 'Jerusalema' moves in the study, it was made clear that any of these viral dance challenges could pose risk to non-professional dancers.
The weekend warrior has long been prey to musculoskeletal injuries as a result of intermittent, high intensity activity.
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The case studies were based on the injuries sustained by three middle-aged men who had revealed that the cause had in fact been their attempts at the #JerusalemaChallenge.
In just 10 days, three patients ended up in the emergency room at the hospital after doing the challenge, one of them being a 50-year-old who was trying to keep up with his granddaughter.
He described feeling like someone had ‘kicked the back of his leg’ as he pushed off during one of the movements and subsequently was unable to push off the ground to walk.
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The second incident also involved a grandfather-grandaughter duo. The 58-year-old felt a pop at the back of his right leg and that was the end of that.
The final case saw the same happen to a 42-year-old dad who was trying to bust a move with his daughter.
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A specialist orthopaedic surgeon at City Hospital in Durban, Dr Rinesh Chetty, has confirmed that the findings and conclusions made in this report add up.
I did treat a middle-aged female for the exact same injury who tried to perform the same challenge with her colleagues last year. I find these injuries occur especially when older patients try to suddenly start playing sports that require explosive short sprints, like action soccer, netball, tennis or touch rugby.
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But don't let this scare you into a danceless life!
Make sure you warm up your muscles and don't try anything you're not comfortable with.
READ: White woman wears 'blackface' to perform 'Jerusalema'
And if you would still like to show off your best 'Jerusalema' moves on the dancefloor, but want to avoid any injuries, you can check out this video of Danny and Tee for a quick refresher:
Or Stacey and J Sbu's very unique spin on the original:
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