Why does locking knees cause fainting

The best way to avoidthis situation, if you have to stand for a prolonged period of time, is to bend your knees. The original article written by Dr.

Spencer Turner can be found at the Lantern Archives. Log in. Usually, these nerves coordinate their actions so you always get enough blood to your brain. Under certain situations, these nerves might give an inappropriate signal.

This might cause your blood vessels to open wide. At the same time, your heartbeat slows down. Blood can start to pool in your legs, and not enough of it may reach the brain. If that happens, you may briefly lose consciousness. When you lie or fall down, blood flow to the brain resumes. Vasovagal syncope is quite common. It most often affects children and young adults, but it can happen at any age. It happens to men and women in about equal numbers.

Unlike some other causes of fainting, vasovagal syncope does not signal an underlying problem with the heart or brain. Several triggers can cause vasovagal syncope. To help reduce the risk of fainting, you can avoid some of these triggers such as:. Fainting is the defining symptom of vasovagal syncope. Often, you may have certain symptoms before actually fainting such as:. If you can lie down at the first sign of these symptoms, you will often be able to prevent fainting. When it happens, this type of fainting almost always happens in a sitting or standing position.

Not everyone notices symptoms before fainting, however. When a person does faint, lying down restores blood flow to the brain. Consciousness should return fairly quickly. You might not feel normal for a little while after you faint. You might feel depressed or fatigued for a short time.

Some people have only one or two episodes of vasovagal syncope in their life. Elevate the feet. Undress victim except for underwear so the body surface can give off heat. Sponge the entire body surface continuously with cool water.

Fan the victim to increase evaporation. Give as much cold water or sports drink e. While locking your knees might affect the flow of blood, there is no evidence that says that it actually does. Enjoy these posts? Follow me on Twitter and sign up for the monthly newsletter.

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