Ryan Satterthwaite from Palmerston North, a city in New Zealand’s North Island, died at the age of 19 on Monday, May 26, after suffering a head injury while participating in the trend ‘run it straight’ with his friends.
It’s become a popular game
It’s always difficult to predict what the next trends will be, but one, called ‘run it straight’, recently became popular in New Zealand and Australia, with videos of people participating in the activity gathering millions of views online.
What is the ‘run it straight’ trend?
The ‘run it straight’ game consists of having two players sprint at full force towards each other in a narrow 20-metre field without wearing any protective gear.
As the two players collide, the winner of the round is the one who remains standing, while the loser is the one to fall on the floor. The game consists of rounds, with the winner of each round progressing to the next.
The game can be the cause of serious injury
Since the game essentially involves colliding with other players at full force without any protective gear, you can imagine the kind of injuries and health issues that can arise from participating in it.
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Health experts seem to firmly argue against participating in this trend.
A teenager died after suffering an injury from the game
Satterthwaite, 19, was confirmed by police to have been involved in a game of ‘run it straight’ with his friends prior to his death. He suffered a serious brain injury while involved in the trend and passed away the day after on May 26.
Police have stated that his death was not a criminal matter but that they are still gathering further information.
Police urged people to be careful
As per the BBC, Police spokesperson Ross Grantham said in a statement, “We would urge anyone thinking about taking part in a game or event like this to consider the significant safety and injury risk.”
“While this was an impromptu game among friends, not a planned event, this tragic outcome does highlight the inherent safety concerns with such an activity.”
Health experts have also weighed in on it
Following news of the teenager’s death, health experts have also weighed in on the safety concerns posed by participating in this trend.
Neuroscientist Dr Helen Murray told MailOnline, “There is clearly a high risk of head injury in this event. There’s no attempt to reduce head acceleration, so I do not support it.”
An expert in injury prevention also said it was dangerous
Professor Patria Hume, an expert in sports science and injury prevention also explained that the game ignores the science we know about the dangers of head injuries, and is actually a step backwards in regards to safely participating in sports.
“This is a reckless and dangerous spectacle. The science is clear – repeated head impacts increase risk of long-term brain damage,” Hume said.
Another expert called it ‘insanity’
Australian neurologist Dr Alan Pearce echoed other experts in their stance on the game, saying, “It’s insanity. You’re removing the skill and strategy and replacing it with blunt force.”
The trend has also faced backlash online
Over on the internet, although videos of people participating in the sport have made big numbers, some users have started condemning the sport in the wake of Satterthwaite’s death.
One person wrote, “Tragic loss of a young life today thanks to these adults trying to make this cool RIP young man.”
Another said, “Hope this stops before more people are hurt.”