CAP Talk

Operations => Tall Tales => Topic started by: payton on February 04, 2009, 09:06:06 PM

Title: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: payton on February 04, 2009, 09:06:06 PM
So yes, on 07-Oct-07 ,about 4 months after i joined , we were having some wonderful inspection time. Then we had some more inspeciton time. this was on a nice wonderfull 90 degree day (outside) so as you can imagine it was probubly arond 100 more or less, while wearing our full class A's (My first time wearing a service jacket). well, most of the way through, i pass out, now this wouldn't have been that bad except that my knee's did not unlock, and i looked like a board as i pivoted forward and impacted, on my chin. that hurt, alot. I broke my jaw in 3 places, factured 9 teeth, impacted the rest, bit through my toung, and somehow bruised a rib. im still in recovery, and will be for another 2 or 3 years.

moral of the story

NEVER LOCK YOUR KNEE'S!!!

Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: cnitas on February 04, 2009, 09:08:39 PM
Or have service dress uniform inspections during the summer, outside, in the heat.


Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: SJFedor on February 04, 2009, 10:14:42 PM
Quote from: cnitas on February 04, 2009, 09:08:39 PM
Or have service dress uniform inspections during the summer, outside, in the heat.

For extremely long, extended periods of time.


So you're the one that DFO'ed? I think I read about that oops in the safety newsletter.
Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: DG on February 04, 2009, 10:31:17 PM
Quote from: payton on February 04, 2009, 09:06:06 PM
So yes, on 07-Oct-07 ,about 4 months after i joined , we were having some wonderful inspection time. Then we had some more inspeciton time. this was on a nice wonderfull 90 degree day (outside) so as you can imagine it was probubly arond 100 more or less, while wearing our full class A's (My first time wearing a service jacket). well, most of the way through, i pass out, now this wouldn't have been that bad except that my knee's did not unlock, and i looked like a board as i pivoted forward and impacted, on my chin. that hurt, alot. I broke my jaw in 3 places, factured 9 teeth, impacted the rest, bit through my toung, and somehow bruised a rib. im still in recovery, and will be for another 2 or 3 years.


Was the inspection carried out by the same people who voted down the summer flight uniform?
Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: Chicago_Pilot on February 04, 2009, 10:40:37 PM
It was painful just to read that.  Ugh...

I hope your recovery goes smoothly.
Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: NIN on February 04, 2009, 11:49:36 PM
I've seen / heard plenty of cadets go *splat* in my time (and honestly, the sound of someone whacking a tile or concrete floor has a distinct sound all its own.. *shudder*) but the first time I'd ever had someone hurt themselves was last April at the USAC's 99th anniversary ball. Recruit on honor guard went down, face first and did pretty much as you describe.

Ouch.   I've done it (locked my knees). Not pretty, but it happens.

Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: Major Carrales on February 05, 2009, 12:07:56 AM
Quote from: DG on February 04, 2009, 10:31:17 PM
Quote from: payton on February 04, 2009, 09:06:06 PM
So yes, on 07-Oct-07 ,about 4 months after i joined , we were having some wonderful inspection time. Then we had some more inspeciton time. this was on a nice wonderfull 90 degree day (outside) so as you can imagine it was probubly arond 100 more or less, while wearing our full class A's (My first time wearing a service jacket). well, most of the way through, i pass out, now this wouldn't have been that bad except that my knee's did not unlock, and i looked like a board as i pivoted forward and impacted, on my chin. that hurt, alot. I broke my jaw in 3 places, factured 9 teeth, impacted the rest, bit through my toung, and somehow bruised a rib. im still in recovery, and will be for another 2 or 3 years.


Was the inspection carried out by the same people who voted down the summer flight uniform?

The summer flight uniform is rotting in heck along with the guayaberra shirt.
Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: payton on February 05, 2009, 03:55:12 AM
QuoteSo you're the one that DFO'ed? I think I read about that oops in the safety newsletter.

yes, that was me, its was an oops. but i came out better now. it gave a will of iron
Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: Pingree1492 on February 05, 2009, 04:12:22 AM
Wow, I feel for you.  I have a friend going through the same thing, but her injury was the result of a car accident- which, BTW makes for a cooler story ;)  Though it must be nice to live somewhere where it's 90 degrees in October...

Fortunately, the only time I've seen this happen and the cadets in question fell forward were on a grass parade field, and were uninjured (well, except for their egos).

Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: Gunner C on February 05, 2009, 04:21:16 AM
Quote from: payton on February 04, 2009, 09:06:06 PM
So yes, on 07-Oct-07 ,about 4 months after i joined , we were having some wonderful inspection time. Then we had some more inspeciton time. this was on a nice wonderfull 90 degree day (outside) so as you can imagine it was probubly arond 100 more or less, while wearing our full class A's (My first time wearing a service jacket). well, most of the way through, i pass out, now this wouldn't have been that bad except that my knee's did not unlock, and i looked like a board as i pivoted forward and impacted, on my chin. that hurt, alot. I broke my jaw in 3 places, factured 9 teeth, impacted the rest, bit through my toung, and somehow bruised a rib. im still in recovery, and will be for another 2 or 3 years.

moral of the story

NEVER LOCK YOUR KNEE'S!!!

WIWAC we had someone who did that.  It was in the winter in Alaska and we had our meetings in a hanger on Elmendorf AFB.  One of the cadets in my flight (I was the flight commander) locked his knees.  It was probably 50 degrees in there but it didn't take long.  I heard a loud POP on the concrete floor followed by a groan.  There was the cadet laying on the floor unconscious.  We immediately rendered aid and called an ambulance.  He had a fractured skill and darned near died.

I hope you're healing well!  LET'S BE CAREFUL OUT THERE - gravity always wins.

Gunner
Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: payton on February 05, 2009, 11:11:22 PM
QuoteThough it must be nice to live somewhere where it's 90 degrees in October...

no actually that wasn't fun, this is indiana.
Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: notaNCO forever on February 05, 2009, 11:25:18 PM
 I remember when I was a flight sergeant at encampment and watching one of my cadets fall flat on his back. Which is surprising because the entire week I kept trying to stand still at attention. The one time he actually listened he passed out.
Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: maverik on February 05, 2009, 11:49:19 PM
90 in october in Indiana?????? Never experienced that but I have locked my knees and thank goodness we were on grass because i landed almost on my neck wasn't pretty.
Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: DC on February 06, 2009, 02:59:41 AM
Never done it myself, but I have seen numerous cadets do that particularly spectacular form of the fall out dance... In fact, one went down at my squadron meeting this past Tuesday. Thankfully, due to an alert C/Capt standing a few feet away, he did not make it all the way to the ground..
Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: Al Sayre on February 06, 2009, 01:18:27 PM
It's not limited to Cadets, we had 3 fall out during my graduation ceremony at boot camp in San Diego...
Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: tarheel gumby on February 07, 2009, 02:57:41 AM
Had it happen when I was in Basic Training @ Ft McClellan, not to me though. It happened to a couple of guys in my platoon, they make a very spectacular thud when they hit the sun baked mud of Northern AL.
Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: Rob Sherlin on June 14, 2009, 02:41:40 PM
OUCH! That happened to me in AFJROTC...luckily the two on the side of me saw me wobbling, broke formation, and caught me....Was more embarrassing than anything.
Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: wwomack on June 14, 2009, 04:46:40 PM
Ouch.   I did that once when I was younger in Boy Scouts.   I locked my knees standing there and the next thing I know I was waking up on the ground.    Luckily I think I just crumpled down and didn't impact anything so no injuries.
Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: C/MSgt Lunsford on June 14, 2009, 05:55:57 PM
Now how do you prevent yourself from locking your knees? I don't want to make a painful mistake and cause myself an abundant amount of embarrassment!  ;)
Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: DC on June 14, 2009, 06:13:00 PM
Quote from: Lunsford on June 14, 2009, 05:55:57 PM
Now how do you prevent yourself from locking your knees? I don't want to make a painful mistake and cause myself an abundant amount of embarrassment!  ;)
It's really simple, to prevent yourself from locking your knees,

DON'T DO IT!

Usually cadets lock their knees in an attempt to stand at super-attention. Just stand normally. Be still, pin your thumb to your trouser seam, look into infinity, etc, etc, ad infinitum, but don't do anything weird with your legs, just stand upright with your heels together.
Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: C/MSgt Lunsford on June 14, 2009, 06:15:00 PM
Ok. Will do. Thanks. Just didn't know if there was a special way to stand at attention to prevent yourself from Fainting.  ;)
Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: DC on June 14, 2009, 06:32:55 PM
Quote from: Lunsford on June 14, 2009, 06:15:00 PM
Ok. Will do. Thanks. Just didn't know if there was a special way to stand at attention to prevent yourself from Fainting.  ;)
No, it's really the other way around. There is a special way to stand if you want to faint...
Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: BrandonKea on June 15, 2009, 12:32:37 AM
I had a cadet on my Color Guard in AFJROTC lock her knees once before a performance, she wasn't too bright. We ended up going out presenting with just the American Flag.

At the NCR Encampment in '01 we had a cadet in my flight who locked his knees during the first half of the pass and review. We happened to catch him before he would have landed in the grass, and propped him up until we started marching. At that point, he was woozily walking with us as we all kept him semi propped up, and he came around just before the reviewing stand just in time to ask "what happened?" and we told him to "shut up and salute." That was fun.
Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: desertengineer1 on June 16, 2009, 07:31:44 PM
About ten years ago that happened at our guard base.  To my understanding, the guy never fully recovered function of his jaw.  Almost the same exact kind of injury.  He spent weeks in the hospital.

He locked his knees and fell straight forward.  Compounding this is a tendancy of the body to "whip" - resulting in a dramatic forward acceleration of the head at impact.

I was a few rows back and will never forget the sound of it.  It was like someone slapped a boat oar hard on the hangar floor.

Locking your knees can cause blood to pool in the lower legs, in addition to preventing you from recovering loss of balance (the mechanics of that posture).  Whether you pass out or just fall asleep, you won't have time to recover.

The proper stance is knees bent slightly forward. 
Title: Re: what happens when you lock your knee's
Post by: SJFedor on June 17, 2009, 01:57:51 AM
In short, this is what happens when you lock your knees....

(http://www.paramedicine.com/pmc/T_is_for_Trauma_to_the_C-Spine_files/droppedImage_1.jpg)


Questions?