What are common risks when using rope on a person? What can you do to try and avoid these common risks? What actions should you take immediately if one of these injuries occurs?

The intention of this section is to help people that have no medical training to be able to provide immediate assistance without causing more harm.

Again, we are not medical professionals, and this is not medical advice. These guidelines are based on the best information we had at the time of writing, based on the experiences of the rope community, our research, consultations with people that do have medical training, and advice from reputable online sources like Johns Hopkins and the Mayo Clinic.

In the event of an injury, the best course of action is to seek medical assistance from a qualified provider.

We also recommend that everyone who is interested in bondage take a basic first aid and CPR course. They are good skills to have. Hopefully you will never need them.

The Spectrum of Common Risks

In the milder forms of rope bondage — where things are not too tight and/or where your partner can still adjust their position somewhat — the risks are normally quite low.

By contrast, any form where your partner is truly helpless, or in which the bondage is very tight bondage or is anchored in such a way that it may become tighter if they move or struggle, the risk is higher.

There are many possible risks and concerns, running from mild to severe. Here are some of the most common:

(More Mild)

• Rope marks
• Bruising
• Rope burn
• Musculoskeletal stress or damage
• Stains, sprains, etc.
• Breathing issues
• Positional asphyxia
• Fainting
• Injuries sustained during a fall
• Breaks or dislocations
• Compression injuries

(More Severe)

Some kinds of damage heal very slowly and can therefore accumulate over time. Nerve damage is one of these, as are certain injuries to muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons. Small amounts of damage that you might not even feel at first may not be fully healed when the next injury occurs and thus, damage can build over time to something more serious.