Neurosurgeons have revealed just how Michael Jackson achieved the seemingly impossible dance move featured in one of his greatest hits.
Jackson was not only known for being the King of Pop, but also for his epic dance moves.
His skills were particularly applauded in the 1987 routine in the music video for 'Smooth Criminal'.
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Just how he managed to pull off such a feat – which saw the singer lean forward in what appeared to be a biomechanically-impossible way – has since been revealed.
In the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, Manjul Tripathi alongside colleagues from the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, India, explained how Jackson well-exceeded the perimeter even 'most trained dancers with strong core strength' can pull off.
The normal degree range spans from '25 to 35 degrees of forward bending'.
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Instead, Jackson managed to pull off 'a gravity-defying 45 degree move that seems unearthly to any witness'.
Assistant professor Tripathi noted that even with Jackson's strong athletic abilities, the strain on the Achilles heel only allows a 'very limited degree of forward bend'.
However, it wasn't just the performer's flexibility which aided him in reaching such an impressive angle.
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Jackson's shoes also supported him in being able to pull off the move so smoothly.
'Hitch members' or strong nails were placed in the ground, which v-shaped slits located in the bottom of each heel of the singer's shoes then slotted onto.
The design was inspired by US astronauts' boots. When working in zero gravity, astronauts' attach themselves to a fixed rail via their boots.
This grounding allowed Jackson to defy gravity even more and lower himself forward many degrees further than the average dancer.
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However, before the shoes were invented, another device helped the 'Man In The Mirror' singer bend with a straight spine.
The move was previously pulled off by the singer with the support of a harness around Jackson's waist and various cables helping hold him up.
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Despite how cool Jackson's moves are and how effortlessly he pulls them off in the 'Smooth Criminal' music video, Dr Tripathi and the rest of the team warned against viewers trying the trick out themselves.
They said: "Several MJ fans, including the authors, have tried to copy this move and failed, often injuring themselves in their endeavours.
"The chances of injury to the ankle are significant. You need strong core muscles and good support around the ankle. It's not a simple trick."
The article, titled 'How did Michael Jackson challenge our understanding of spine biomechanics?', was first published in the Journal of Neurosurgery on 22 May, 2018.
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Topics: Michael Jackson, Health, Entertainment, Music
Poppy Bilderbeck