Basic Bondage Safety

Bondage can be performed in a perfectly safe way. Here are some simple safety guidelines.

The thickness) of the ropes you are using and the body of your sub have to be in proportion. Not only does it look better (on a more volumptious sub use thicker rope), there is also a safety aspect.

Thin rope on a bigger body is more likely to become more painful AND to block arteries and damage nerve ends. Opt for anything between 6 and 10 milimeter (quarter of an inch to one third of an inch).

Things to avoid

  1. Be careful with people suffering from breathing problems or showing signs of hyperventilation or claustrophobia (one may indicate the other).
    In these cases avoid any technique - such as body harnesses - that may obstruct or limit breathing or give the impression that breathing is obstructed.
    This includes certain positions, such as lying on the belly with the hands stretched above the head or tied behind the back.
  2. Do not obstruct the throat and be aware that gags give the sub the impression breathing is obstructed, even though this is rarely the case.
  3. Never use thin rope (approximately a quarter of an inch or 5 - 6 MM is the absolute minimum), wire, electrical cord, or steel enhanced wire, and try to avoid the use of panties, silk scars and neckties.

Things to do

  1. Learn about knots and ropes. Books for boyscouts and sailors are usually excellent sources of information.
  2. Use safe knots that will be easy to untie. The best and safest knot is the eight-shaped reef knot. Practice making safe knots regularly.
  3. Keep a sailmaker's knife (available from boatshops) at hand for fast uncutting.
  4. If you are inexperienced, take precautions. Do not use ropes directly on the skin of newbees. Cover wrists and ankles with sweatlets (used by tennis players to absorb perspiration) prior to tying them. This will help prevent the obstruction of blood vessels, damage to nerve endings, as well as rope burn.
  5. Know about the body's distress signals. Limbs turning pale, red, cold, numb or simply feeling uncomfortable are usually indications of an obstruction. This is not only caused by tight or improperly placed ropes, but may also be caused simply by folding and arm or a leg, even for a short period of time.
  6. Avoid joints! When tieing arms for example, make sure the ropes are above the wirsts.
  7. Do use different short pieces of rope instead of one or two long ropes. If you cut the majority of your bondage ropes to a length of 15 feet (5 meter) and use different pieces you will be able to make rapid adjustments without having to untie the whole thing.

Things to be aware of

  1. It is unlikely your sub will remain perfectly still during the entire session. Movement may tighten ropes unexpectedly. Regular inspection of the ropes and knots is a must. A dislocated knot may damage nerve endings, especially around the wrists and ankles.
  2. Do expect sudden, fierce and sometimes spasmodic movements. Try to think ahead and determine what these may do to your bondage.
  3. Do have "practice sessions". They will teach both dom and sub what a specific type of bondage will do and how ropes and knots can change in different situations.
  4. Never introduce things you are not entirely certain about, such as suspension in any form or very tight bondage. Remember first that things you see in drawings, pictures and videos may be either impossible, or only feasible if you have a certain body shape. It is also possible you may be seeing trick photography.

Reading body signals

Tied slave Note: physical signals may indicate other health-related problems in individual cases. When in doubt, always consult your doctor or healtcare professional!

  1. Shallow breathing, perspiration, shivering, dizzyness and nausea are usually the first indication of fainting. This may be the result of an overly enthousiastic tie, but more often it is the result of an emotional overload. Quite often positions where the head is below the heart, the arms are above the head or the body is folded may be the problem.
    Fainting may be the result of any of the above or lack of food and beverages. Sometimes hyperventialtion is the problem.
  2. Tingling bodyparts (usually extremities such as fingers, toes, hands or feet) indicate low, but not dramatic bloodflow or an obstructed nerve. It can me iritating and should be dealt with, but is no cause for immediate alarm.
  3. Limbs turning blue indicate oxygen-low blood being obstructed. Limbs turning white indicate obstruction of blood-rich blood. Both are not dramatic, but the problem should be corrected. Lips turning white may indicate SERIOUS problems, such as heart failure!

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