
The mechanical trigger causes a sudden inhibition of the quads muscle, and the person cannot take weight on that side.
When one talks of the knee 'giving way' it means that the knee suddenly and unexpectedly is unable to support the person, and the leg just buckles, leading to stumbling or falling.

The mechanical trigger causes a sudden inhibition of the quads muscle, and the person cannot take weight on that side.
There may be a number of reasons for the knee suddenly giving out: