A viral “lamp post hugging challenge” is sparking safety concerns across Chinese social media as users attempt to wrap their legs around vertical poles and slide into a seated position.
Participants wrap their legs in a cross-legged fashion around a lamp post or similar vertical pole, slide down, and then attempt to stand back up and uncross their legs.
- The trend emerged in April on the social media app Xiaohongshu.
- At least 100 videos have been posted under the hashtag “cross-legged hugging small pillar”.
- Police warn the activity can cause knee injuries or compress blood vessels.
Risks of the Lamp Post Hugging Challenge
A police officer warned that the trend carries hidden safety risks, including the potential for injuring knee joints or compressing blood vessels in the lower limbs.
Some users have echoed these concerns, with one netizen commenting that it felt as though a bone could be broken at any moment.
Beyond physical injury, users have criticized the lack of hygiene associated with the poles, suggesting that dogs may have urinated on the equipment.
Difficulty and Execution
While some participants successfully free themselves by rotating their bodies to release one leg or using upper body strength to pull themselves up, others have become trapped.
In a video uploaded on April 3, a 40-year-old man successfully escaped his “cross-legged prison” after struggling for approximately one minute.
A companion attempting the same challenge was less successful, struggling for a minute before begging the 40-year-old man for help.
Similar videos have existed since 2019, though those instances were typically the result of pranks played by friends. This differs from the self-inflicted nature of the challenge in 2026.
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