This is the most common risk and injury associated with shibari, and unfortunately, there’s a lot of misinformation out there that only adds to the confusion.
How so? Often, it’s about hiding that the taught technique is flawed and ends up causing injuries.
What Is Nerve Injury?
Injuries to peripheral nerves (like the radial nerve) typically cause symptoms such as numbness, tingling, muscle weakness, or loss of mobility—commonly known as a “sleeping hand” or “drop wrist.”
These conditions vary in severity, duration, and treatment depending on the type of nerve damage sustained.
The most common causes of nerve damage are:
Compression:
Prolonged or intense pressure on the nerve, like sleeping with your arm in an awkward position, using crutches, or, in the case of a gote, tying tightly in a box shape, especially pressing one arm against the other or creating folds in the spine.
Trauma:
Direct blows or cuts that impact the nerve. In shibari, this can happen when the body is jolted or hangs “dead weight” in suspension.
Stretching or Traction:
Movements that overextend the nerve beyond its capacity.
This risk is more common than it seems, as nerves typically have less mobility than muscles, and trying to force the arms into extreme positions in a gote can stretch the nerves.
Inflammation or Illness:
Conditions like pre-existing neuropathies (cumulative damage) or other health issues that inflame the nerve, making it more susceptible to the above causes.
In general, if a nerve injury occurs during shibari practice, it’s likely a combination of these factors, so we need to master the technique to minimize risks in every possible scenario.
Types of Nerve Injury (Peripheral Nerves)
Mild (Neurapraxia):
There’s a temporary interruption in nerve conduction, but the nerve itself doesn’t break (the axon and its myelin sheath remain intact).
This is usually caused by moderate compression, like holding a posture for too long.
Symptoms typically include numbness, tingling, or weakness, which resolve on their own once the cause is removed, though in some cases and for some people, they can linger for days.
In shibari, this type of injury often affects the myelin sheath, a layer of fat and proteins that coats peripheral nerves.
This sheath acts like a booster for nerve signal transmission while protecting the axon and ensuring signals reach muscles or skin correctly.
When the sheath is damaged, electrical conduction slows or stops, even if the axon remains intact.
Myelin recovery is generally faster than axon recovery, but it always depends on factors like age, physical condition, and lifestyle.
Moderate (Axonotmesis):
The axon (the nerve’s inner core) is damaged, but the outer structure (myelin sheath and surrounding tissues) stays intact.
This is commonly caused by intense, prolonged compression and is fairly frequent in gote-style forms when the technique is poorly executed.
Its hallmark symptoms are a significant loss of sensation and movement, which can be partial or complete depending on the extent of the damage and may persist for weeks.
Recovery largely depends on age, physical condition, and healthy habits, as axon regeneration is relatively slow.
Severe (Neurotmesis):
The nerve is completely cut or damaged, including both axons and sheaths.
Symptoms
Numbness:
Numbness happens because sensory signals from the skin don’t reach the brain properly. Damaged myelin causes impulses to “jump” incorrectly or get lost, which the brain interprets as tingling or a lack of sensation.
Loss of Mobility:
Weakness or partial/total paralysis occurs because muscles don’t receive the brain’s commands with enough strength or speed, limiting movement.
Recovery
Damaged Myelin: Recovery is faster (weeks) because cells can repair myelin through a process called remyelination.
Damaged Axon: Recovery is slower (months) because the axon must regrow from the injury site to its destination.
Inflammation around the nerve can prolong compression or dysfunction.
Factors like the severity of the damage, age, overall health, and the underlying cause (trauma, inflammation, etc.) affect recovery time.
What to Do If You Notice a Problem During a Session?
First, stay calm, identify the cause or type of issue, and pinpoint its source to address it.
If you’re unsure, untie—but do so methodically, maintaining tension. Rushing can cause joints to snap back abruptly, potentially worsening the situation.
DO NOT apply heat. If there’s nerve damage, heat will increase inflammation, slow recovery, or aggravate symptoms.
If symptoms don’t start to subside a few minutes after removing the cause (think of the “arm asleep” feeling after waking from a nap), seek professional help.
Depending on your country’s healthcare system, the process may vary.
In Spain’s public health system, for example, going to the ER will likely get you anti-inflammatories and painkillers, but more precise tests like electromyography or a specialist consultation could take days.
If possible, see a physiotherapist first—ideally one specialized in sports, as they focus more on solutions than diagnostics and have equipment to start active treatment right away. This often involves oxygenating the nerve, reducing inflammation or compression, and possibly suggesting rehabilitation to aid recovery if needed.
In the most severe cases, surgery may be the only option, and recovery from those injuries is never complete.
DISCLAIMER: We’re not doctors. The information provided here is cross-referenced with various professionals and backed by years of shibari practice. However, we can’t make definitive claims in these areas—only inform and recommend seeking professional help if you encounter issues.
Likewise, if you have pre-existing health conditions like diabetes, inflammatory or autoimmune disorders, hypermobility, endometriosis, carpal tunnel issues, or a history of nerve-related injuries, speak up. This applies to both the person tying and the person being tied.
And don’t just speak up—act responsibly and avoid putting your body at unnecessary risk.
The Nerves
Radial
The radial nerve originates from the brachial plexus (C5-T1) and runs through the arm, forearm, and hand.
It controls the extensor muscles of the elbow, wrist, and fingers and provides sensation to the back of the arm, forearm, and top of the hand (except the pinky and ring fingers).
The most common points of injury, in order of frequency, are:
The humeral spiral groove, on the inner side of the arm, where crutches rest. Compression occurs between the tissues and the humerus.
Pinch in the spine from a cervical fold (e.g., in poorly executed gyaku ebi forms).
Axilla and elbows, from nerve stretching or tissue pressure when pushing the joint into a passive range.
Cubital (Ulnar)
The cubital (ulnar) nerve also stems from the brachial plexus (C8 and T1). It descends from the axilla along the inner arm (it’s what causes that “funny bone” jolt), enters the forearm via the cubital tunnel, and continues to the hand, where it splits into superficial (sensory) and deep (motor) branches.
It enables fine finger movements, grip strength, and wrist flexion toward the ulnar side, while providing sensation to the medial side of the arm and forearm, as well as the pinky and ring fingers.
Improper rope placement on the cubital area of the forearm or pushing the elbow joint into a passive range are common causes of ulnar nerve injury in shibari.
Median
The median nerve originates in the brachial plexus (C5-T1), passes through the arm without major branches, crosses in front of the elbow joint, descends through the forearm between the flexor muscles, and enters the hand via the carpal tunnel.
Its motor function controls the forearm, making it critical for actively constructing gote forms.
It enables wrist and finger flexion, thumb opposition, and provides sensation to the palm, middle finger, index finger, and thumb.
The biggest issue with this nerve often ties to pre-existing carpal tunnel inflammation. If this condition is present, it’s neither sensible nor advisable to use these types of ties.