Question:
Does “locking knees” cause me to pass out?
Answer:
No
MedHead Confidence Score: 10
Amount Saved: $50 medical research
MedHead Message:
Choir directors everywhere-read this! Army Sergeants everywhere-read this! Random strangers who just like to stand for long periods of time-read this! Locking your knees can not, will not and does not cause you to faint. What DOES cause you to faint is a combination of any of the following: Dehydration. Warm temperatures. Anxiety. Fatigue. Not eating in the past 2 hours. Genetic predisposition. Pooling of blood in your legs after standing for a long time. BTW when you do pass out, the vasovagal reaction causes your knee joints to ext, so everyone around you will see that your knees are “locked” thereby perpetuating the myth. Don’t bend your knee to keep from passing out. You’ll just look funny to everyone watching you, and it gets really tiresome to bend your knees for hours at a time.
References:
Zero studies in Google Scholar, Pubmed, or Cochrane database to suggest “locking knees” will cause you to pass out.
