What does this mean "don't lock your knees" I'm not a native English speaking person ....?

Question

i've been living here for the pass 4 years..and i really dont understand what does that means...i joined the army and what they keep telling me is dont lock your knees and dont look down otherwise u might pass out????

Answer 1

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That's the advice given to troops standing in formation for long periods in the heat, and for good reason.

If you're standing with your legs fully extended, your knee joint is slightly over-centered, in other words locked. If you lose consciousness the joint still stays that way and your body falls like an upright board that is tipped over. Your head will be moving at a pretty good clip when it hits the ground and you can actually be injured fairly badly.

If you keep your knees slightly bent you tend to fall straight down in a heap and don't pick up as much speed.

Locking your knees does not block blood flow or make you more likely to faint. It just makes it worse when you do.

Source(s):

35 years of standing in the hot sun, watching people fall out, picking them up and dusting them off.

Answer 2

It literally means don't lock your knees. Don't stand with your legs absolutely locked straight. It interferes with the blood flow in your body, and can cause you to pass out.

Answer 3

When you stand at attention they tell you not to lock your knees (as in don't stand with your leg fully extended and your knees "locked") because you can black out.

Answer 4

Locking your knees.... When you're standing at the position of attention, you are supposed to bend your knees slightly... If you keep them completely straight to the point where they are locked into position, then the blood flow gets trapped below your knees....

This will cause you to lose blood to the head and pass out...

So bend your knees slightly to prevent this...

Good luck on Tuesday... Well starting on Tuesday anyway

Source(s):

Army Vet, OIF1

Answer 5

When standing in formation if your legs are utterly straight(locked knees) after a certain amount of time they won't bend any more and you will fall down(very embarassing).

It can mean don't be set on a path and inflexible in your outlook too.

The advice you were given is accurate.

ret. USAF SNCO, Former MTI(Drill Instructor)

Answer 6

It mean not to put your legs strait. To keep at least one knee so slightly bent so blood will still flow. If you lock your knees, the blood doesn't flow through properly and you loose feelings in your legs and you fall down.

Sit on the floor with your legs out in front of you. Reach for your toes. That's what locking your knees feels like.

Answer 7

When standing in formation or on watch or for long periods of time you need to keep your knees slightly bent and not completely "locked" if you do lock your knees like you have been told you will pass out. The reason is when you lock your knees the straight up and down position of your knees cuts off the blood circulation and that results in you getting light headed and eventually passing out.

Answer 8

It means do not lock your knees especially if the weather is humid and hot outside because when you standing in parade rest or the position of attention and you lock your knees for a long period of time it can interfere with blood flow in your legs and knees causing you or someone else in your platoon to pass out. So don't lock your knees soldier you don't want to pass out and end up in the hospital.

Source(s):

Army- Fort Jackson South Carolina