Is it true that if you lock your knees you could faint?

Question

Throughout band camp in high school, all 4 years, they told us this could happen. Now that I'm 21 I'm talking about it w/a friend and he's saying it's not possible.

Which is it?

Answer 1

It is true that with prolong standing (usually in hot weather) you can faint if you do not move your legs. It is a combination of dehydration and decrease blood flow because your leg muscles help push blood back to your heart. By unlocking your knees, you contract the muscles and improve blood flow.

Answer 2

I have served in the military and have seen many people faint from locked knees. It has happened to me once.

The blood begins pooling in your legs and your blood presure rises as your heart has to work harder to pump it back up. Locking your knees, which means pushing your kneecaps back as far as they will go in the standing position, constricts the veins, making it even harder to get the blood back to your heart. Eventually this cause less blood in your brain, bringing on light headedness and unltimately, causing you to pass out.

There is no real danger, because once you pass out, you relax, your knees unlock, blood begans flowing again. The real danger is hurting yourself in the fall to the ground, or against the other members of your band.

Answer 3

There really isn't such a term..I think many things cause a person to faint..anxiety, low blood pressure, psychological reasons, environmental (especially being warm or in a closed area) low blood sugar...I look at the situation at the time.

Answer 4

I don't know about the knees but if you put pressure with your hands on your eyeballs for a minute you'll definitely faint.

By pressing your eyeballs you'll stimulate the parasympathetic system and that causes distention of the vessels.

Human anatomy is full of surprises.

Answer 5

how do you lock your knees ? i want to try it .

Answer 6

yes it does happen

Answer 7

how do you do that?