Dilraba’s ‘Angel Squat’ craze raises safety concerns

Photo: Courtesy of Dilreba's studio

Recently, a posture used by Chinese actress Dilraba during her photoshoot for L'Officiel magazine has gone viral on Sina Weibo, sparking an imitation craze online. However, an expert warned of potential risks associated with the "Angel Squat" pose.
Video footage shows that, during an Angel-style photo shoot, Dilraba squats on tiptoes before nearly falling backward, using hands for support to maintain balance.

Many netizens shared posts about their endeavor to imitate the pose on social media platforms, such as the Chinese lifestyle-sharing platform Xiaohongshu.

The hashtag #"why don't try Dilraba's Angel Squat" also trended on Weibo, garnering 220 million views and 22,000 comments as of Tuesday afternoon.

However, Lin Sheng, who previously served as the team doctor for the Chinese diving team, said the pose could cause risks, according to a report by the Chongqing-based media outlet Shangyou News.

Lin noted that this seemingly simple squatting posture actually requires a high sense of balance and flexibility. It requires balancing on one's toes to keep the knees extended, which places joints and muscles under strain and requires a precise alignment of knees and ankles.

Thus for those who have not previously engaged in similar exercises, blindly following the trend of doing these "internet celebrity poses" can easily lead to knee joint and hip joint injuries as well as ankle joint sprains, he said.

Lin warmed that individuals with pre-existing joint issues or limited mobility should avoid attempting the pose altogether.

Additionally, he stressed the importance of using proper technique and moderation to prevent muscle soreness and potential injury.

Global Times