A Woman Who Broke Her Neck Doing An Inverted Sit-Up Has Shocked Doctors By Making a Full Recovery

marcelle
Marcelle Mancuso shows off her impressive physique after recovering from a broken neck. Instagram/MarcelleMancuso

When 23-year-old Marcelle Mancuso fell while doing an upside-down—or 'inverted'—sit-up in the gym in São José do Rio Preto, Brazil, in January 2016, doctors feared she would never walk again.

But a little over two years later Mancuso, who was paralyzed from the neck down in the accident, has made a full recovery. "After four months I started to improve my leg strength and five months after the accident I stopped having fainting and dizziness while walking," she said, The Independent reported.

"After six months I managed to walk and my legs did not sway anymore."

Mancuso was performing an inverted sit-up, which involves doing a sit-up at an angle with her lower body in the air and her head close to the ground, The Independent reported. The strap holding her body to the chair broke and she fell and broke the fifth vertebrae of her spine, while the third vertebrae compressed her spinal cord.

Following the accident, Mancuso was diagnosed with tetraplegia, which is either partial or total sensory and motor paralysis to the four limbs and torso. It is the result of damage to the cervical spine which, although it makes up a small part of the total spinal cord, supports the head and provide passage for blood flow to the brain. It also protects the nerves leading to the brain.

Mancuso received a bone graft to repair damage to her vertebrae and a metal plate fitted into her spine. Still, her doctors were still not sure if she would make a full recovery, Business Insider reported. Despite the poor diagnosis, Mancuso not only recovered, but did so at a shocking pace.

Related: Spinal Cord Repair: Paralyzed Man Surprises Scientists By Standing And Moving On His Own

Related: What Is The 'Devil's Breath'? Scary Drug Paralyzed Backpackers In Australia

Now, a little over two years after the initial injury, Mancuso has fully recovered. She continues to lead an active lifestyle and updates her Instagram with photos of her working out.

"I have a normal life today and thank God all the time for it!," she said, The Independent reported. "I learned to value the simplest things in life, such as getting out of bed and being able to brush my teeth without help."

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go