Barbie Feet: Why The TikTok Trend Is More Dangerous Than You Think
Since premiering on July 21, "Barbie" has courted some strange controversies. The film was banned in Vietnam, for example, due to a crude map of the South China Sea seeming to include a notoriously contested "nine-dash" line, which the Vietnamese government deemed invalid. Meanwhile, the hashtag #NoBarbenheimer started trending among Japanese audiences after the movie's official Twitter account replied to a couple of insensitive memes pairing "Barbie" imagery with likenesses of mushroom clouds, resulting in an apology from Warner Bros.
Now "Barbie" is wreaking havoc on the podiatrist community. A new TikTok trend has fans recreating the film's scene in which Barbie (Margot Robbie) steps out of her pink high heels only for her feet to remain in the same arched shape as those of her doll inspiration.
The trend, accompanied by the hashtags #BarbieFeet and #BarbieFeetChallenge, kicked off with a video by TikToker Shanna Scribner, whose original clip was inspired by the movie's trailer and similarly features "Fun, Fun, Fun" by The Beach Boys as its backing track. These trending hashtags have resulted in over 80 million views on TikTok, with even celebrities like Chrissy Teigen getting in on the action.
But it's not all fun fun fun, at least according to podiatrists. "If attempting the pose and stride over long periods, there are some risks involved," Jodi R. Schoenhaus, a podiatrist at the Foot, Ankle & Leg Vein Center, told the New York Post. "The ankle is unstable, which can lead to ligament sprains and injuries, commonly seen with high heel use."
Barbie fans might want to stick to Birkenstocks
The good news is that simply participating in the #BarbieFeetChallenge won't leave any lingering effects. "If someone attempts the pose once or twice, they will likely be okay and produce a great TikTok video," Dr. Schoenhaus continued in the same interview with the Post. That said, walking around like Barbie too much can lead to ligament sprains, as well as muscle and spine problems. "To walk on your toes without heels isn't sustainable," the doctor continued. "In fact, the reality in the movie is that Barbie actually has flatfeet, along with 30% of the population."
As it turns out, key to Margot Robbie pulling that moment off was her background in dance. Director Greta Gerwig even refused to use CGI for the scene. "It was probably about eight takes," Robbie explained to The Hollywood Reporter. "I walked up, we had little sticky bits on the floor, double-sided tape for the shoes, so they wouldn't come off, so I could get my feet out of them. And I was holding on to, like, a bar. But that's it. I wasn't in a harness or anything like that."
When fans aren't filming TikToks, they're better off keeping on their own pairs of high heels, which at least offer some heel support. Better yet, take a cue from Barbie and stick to Birkenstocks, which are podiatrist-approved for those with flat feet or arch pain.
"Considering we aren't trained ballerinas en pointe," concluded Schoenhaus, "let's keep the fad to movie stars who have props and multiple takes to make it look perfect."
Multiple podiatrists have weighed in on the trend
Jodi R. Schoenhaus isn't the only podiatrist warning potential participants away from the "Barbie" feet challenge. Another podiatrist named Sari Priesand likewise wrote about it in a statement circulated by CBS News. "Leave the Barbie feet to the Barbies," she said, before going on to highlight the health dangers of high-heeled shoes.
Podiatrist Gareth Havard, however, thinks the uproar over the "Barbie" feet challenge may be a little overblown. In a post to his podiatry business' personal blog, he agreed that high heels aren't always the best footwear choice health-wise, but claimed that participating in the Tik Tok trend isn't inherently risky enough to forbid outright. "You can get injured from the Barbie foot challenge. You can also get injured doing a limbo dance," he wrote. "As long as you're not propelling yourself from 9-inch heels, you should be fine."
If you're going to participate in the "Barbie" feet challenge, then, know that injury is a risk and take necessary precautions. Your podiatrist will thank you.