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I am no more interested in bondage. From the blog which I run many years I decided to delete all articles except two articles about safety.

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Safety: Falling, fainting and other problems

Falling

A common accident is caused by the sub’s falling. This is a cause of many BDSM related injuries. If somebody falls with the hands bound, s/he cannot use them for softening the fall or protecting him/herself, nor use the arms for keeping balance.

And if the feet are bound, it is easy to trip or lose balance. Be careful, don’t make or let him/her walk around or stand by him/herself when bound, or at least be ready to catch him/her if s/he falls. And don’t bind simultaneously hands and feet if your sub will be standing or walking.

Another way of falling is caused by equipment failure. An eyebolt on the ceiling gives, a rope breaks or a knot slips. If something like that happens, the sub will fall defenseless.

It is not necessary for the sub to be suspended for having an accident. If the bondage is what keeps the sub standing, kneeling, or whatever, a failure could hurt him/her.

That is another reason for not tying a person by the neck, even with no tension. If s/he falls, the sudden jerk could break his/her neck vertebrae or choke him/her.

Fainting

You could also fall when fainting. And it is easy to faint when your body is restrained, because of the difficulty in breathing (for instance, with your hands tied over your head or the trunk tightly bound or in a forced position), the reduced blood circulation and/or the long periods of immobility. Be ready for a fast release if you notice that your sub is fainting.

Lack of food is another reason for fainting. Be sure that your sub is conveniently fed. (Some people prefer not to eat for several hours before a scene. That’s not right, as it is not right overeating immediately before the scene).

Blood circulation and nerves

Too tight a bondage, especially on wrists and ankles can restrict circulation. A long time without blood circulation will damage the tissue that is not properly fed. The sub will feel numbness or tingling on the hands or feet. After that, the limbs will look puffed, dark red or purple, and cold to the touch. The problem must be corrected immediately, by changing the tension or position of the bondage, or releasing the person.

Too tight a bondage or bondage in inappropriate places can cause nerves’ pinching. It is felt as focused pain or as shooting pains. If it happens, release the sub immediately, because you are hurting him/her.

A good rule of thumb for being sure that the restraint is not too tight is testing that you can slide at least one finger between the restraint and the skin.
 

Cramps and joints pain

Restrained circulation, plus the tension on muscles, nerves and the joints caused by prolonged binding in a fixed or uncomfortable position will cause cramps. A cramp is caused by lactic acid accumulation in a muscle that cannot be properly drained by the restricted movement and circulation. The cramped muscle should be relaxed as soon as possible, for not causing permanent damage.

After a long time in the same position, it will be very painful for the sub to move the joints that were immobilized. Many hours will restrict mobility for a long time, if not permanently.

Cramps and joint problems are the reasons for recommending changing positions regularly.

Actors who play characters with deformities (as Quasimodo, the hunchback of Notre Dame), that have to work many hours under restraints for maintaining their awkward positions, use to have physical therapists and trainers for massages and elongation work after every filming day. Do something similar.

Published: 02/12/04

Source: Agony & Ecstasy

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bondage safety article - my recommendation

Safety: Suspension

Suspension

You shouldn't suspend somebody totally in the air. It is too dangerous. The crucified's death was due to respiratory arrest for hanging a long time from the arms. Of course, the ones hanged from the neck died a lot faster, by asphyxia or by rupture of cervical vertebrae. Is it necessary to tell you that you should not hang anybody by the neck?

Hanging the sub upside down (by the feet, for instance) is also dangerous. All the circulatory system has developed for functioning in an upright position, and doesn’t work well when the body is inverted. Blood accumulates in the head (producing dizziness) and chest. If you have to do it, do it only for short periods.

When somebody is hanging, all the body weight falls on the part of the body resting on the bindings. It can interfere in the blood circulation or in the breathing muscles, and cause rope burns and bruises.

The only reasonably safe way for suspending your partner is using the appropriate harnesses and specialized gear. Hanging with ropes requires a deep knowledge of the techniques.

Do not hang a woman by her breasts or a man by his testicles. Most persons would prefer to have them firmly attached to their bodies and functioning normally, and the body’s weight will most probably damage them if not tearing them out. Don’t even make your sub stand on tiptoes by tensioning a woman’s breasts or a man’s testicles. If s/he looses balance or faints and falls, s/he will be badly hurt. And I don’t care if you saw photos of people doing it. I said NO and I meant NO.

If you are going to suspend your partner, even if letting him/her rest the toes on the floor, or just tying him/her with the hands up, be sure that the hardware is correctly installed and can bear the weight and the stress of a struggling body (about five time’s the person’s weight). Check also that the rope and gear is in working condition. If something gives under tension, the bottom cannot use his/her hands to stop the fall and can be seriously injured.

Don't leave anybody bound with his/her hands up for long time, even if standing on their feet.

Asphyxia:

(neck, rope, gags, positional)

Asphyxia is probably the most common cause of BDSM related deaths.

Never put any pressure on your sub’s neck. Not even with your hands. Breath restriction, even if some say that is arousing and results in good orgasms, is absolutely forbidden in a safe and sane relationship. It is deadly. That fantastic orgasm can be (and too frequently is) the last.

Just in case, never tie anything around your sub’s neck but a good quality collar, and never tie that collar to anything fixed. A fall or fainting can cause the neck receiving an unintended pressure.

Pressing the neck doesn’t only restrict breathing; it also restricts blood circulation to the brain. Both are necessary for living. Death comes very fast when one or both of them stops and even a short restriction in blood circulation can result in brain damage.

Asphyxia also happens when a rope or other restraint that was not intended to put pressure on the neck slips and does. Be careful.

Another way of asphyxiating is when gagged. Be sure that the gag does not restrict breathing.

Never cover both your sub’s mouth and nose. Use only gags intended for that purpose. Ball gags are a good option, because they leave open areas for breathing. Ok, if air can get in, air can come out, and your sub can make some noise. But is better getting some noise than killing your sub.

And if you decide, against our recommendation, using a gag that impedes breathing by the mouth be sure that you sub can breath by her nose. If she has a cold or any other similar medical condition, she will not.

Never use, as seen on the movies, clothes inside the mouth for gagging. They can be partially swallowed, restricting breath and making him/her choke, and they can trigger a vomit reflex in your sub.

Vomiting in your gag and choking on the vomit is another common way for asphyxiating. It can happen also without a gag, if the sub is immobilized on his/her back, and can’t throw the vomit.

This is another very good reason for being able to release your sub pretty fast.

There is yet another way of asphyxiating, just for the position. It happens because a fatigue of the breathing muscles, for having to work forced, but it could also happen because, due to the bondage, not enough air enters the lungs. We already mentioned that being tied for long periods with the hands over the head, especially if hanging, can cause asphyxia. But it could happen when spread-eagled, even if laying, especially if the bindings are too tense. Asphyxia can also happen because of a too tight bondage on the chest and belly, or too long tied with the body weight resting on the belly, doubled up or in many other forced positions.

Check constantly that your sub has no problems, never let him/her alone when bound, and be ready to release him/her immediately if s/he had difficulty in breathing.

Using ropes

The first thing to talk about ropes is its diameter. Appropriate rope’s diameters are from 1/4 to 3/8” of an inch (6 to 10 mm.). If they are thinner, they will put a too concentrated pressure on the skin, and can cut or at least leave deep marks, including bruises, which, with wider ones, if not too tight, you could avoid. If thicker, they don’t coil tight enough and are difficult to knot.

Another problem is the abrasion caused by the rope’s friction on the skin, called usually “rope burn”. Rope burns are produced in the moment of tying or untying the sub, if for tightening the bonds you let the rope slide on the skin, and by the movements of the prisoner for escaping the bindings. You should avoid the first one. Hemp or other rugged ropes burn the skin more easily than cotton or soft nylon ones.

Red marks on the skin are almost unavoidable, but they look nice. Release the prisoner at least a couple of hours before showing in public places. If too tight, for too long, or under tension, bondage can cause bruises, finally scrapping the skin.
 

Published: 02/12/04

Source: Agony & Ecstasy