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Physical restraint

Physical restraint refers to the practice of rendering people helpless or keeping them in captivity by means of physical restraints such as handcuffs, shackles[?], straitjackets, ropes, straps[?] or other forms of physical restraint. Alternatively, unarmed combat[?] techniques or sheer force of numbers may be used to restrain a person.

Physical restraint may be used:

by police to arrest criminals
by criminals and other abusers
to restrain people who are suffering from involuntary physical spasms, to prevent them from hurting themselves
controversially, in mental hospitals
as part of the game of sexual bondage
by escapologists and stunt performers[?]

Restraining someone against their will is generally a crime in most jusrisdictions, unless it is explicitly sanctioned by law.

The misuse of physical restraint has resulted in many deaths. Physical restraint can be dangerous, sometimes in unexpected ways. Examples include:

postural asphyxia
unintended strangulation
death due to vomiting and being unable to clear the airway
death due to inability to escape in the event of fire or other disaster
death due to thirst or starvation due to the inability to escape

For these and many other reasons, extreme caution is needed in the use of physical restraint.