Woman told she would be paralysed from the neck down after doing a sit-up in the gym

Most of us go to the gym in order to change our body's for the better. Whether it's getting a six pack, some ripped biceps or simply just aiming to shed a few pounds for the summer, the gym is becoming an increasingly popular hobby for a lot of people. However, before you think about signing up and becoming a fitness freak, be warned, you may break your back.

That's right, while the gym is meant to be a place of self-improvement, it left one woman nursing a serious injury from her neck down. Marcelle Mancuso, 23, fell off of a piece of equipment in her gym onto her neck and ended up breaking a vertebra.

As a result of her injuries, Doctors warned Marcelle that she may be tetraplegic, leaving her with no feeling in her arms and legs for the rest of her life. But, despite having titanium plates fitted into her spine and a grim diagnosis, the law graduate has regained her movement and is now back training in the gym once more.

Marcelle, who is a fan of Muay Thai, bodybuilding and running, claims that she was training at the gym in Sao Jose do Rio Preto in Brazil when the freak accident occurred.

"I was attached to the equipment with a strip, which broke and the personal trainer could not hold me," she said. "I hit the back of my head on the floor, and immediately lost all body movements with the blow. The doctors did not know if I would walk again or if I would stay on a bed forever."

However, despite the initial fears, Marcelle says that she "gave my best every day in physical therapy" and was eventually able to get her movement back. Within a week, she could stand up with help and just a month after the accident, Marcelle took her first steps with the help of a walking frame.

Altogether, it took three months for her to able to walk short distances unassisted.

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

Now she is back training in the gym and claims that she is more active than ever before.

"It sometimes feels like it was a nightmare I have woken up from," she said.

"I want to help and inspire so many people who are going through difficult times.

"While you’re alive, you have a chance. Life can be incredible from various perspectives, it just depends on us and the love we carry in our hearts."

Marcelle not only showed incredible physical strength to get back on to her feet but also in a physiological sense, she must've had to battle some serious demons and self-doubt. Let this serve as a warning, however, that the gym just simply isn't worth it. You don't hear of anyone breaking their back due to eating Dominos, do you?