This article is written from a partnered suspension negotiation perspective, however these basic health considerations are also factors to consider for self-tying and self-suspension. Many of these considerations apply to both tops and bottoms, as both roles can be physically (and psychologically) strenuous.

Asking about the current state of your partner's body is a good place to start. When did they last eat/drink? Are they having any pain or discomfort at this moment? Do they need to use the bathroom? Are they well rested? What is their state of mind – calm, stressed, etc?

It's important to consider HOW you ask about health issues, because that will play a big part in what information you will be given. If you ask someone: "Do you have any health problems?" in many cases, without really thinking, they'll shrug and say "nope!"  A much better question to ask is: "What medical or health issues do you have?" or "Tell me about your health." Another good way to get information is to ask about what medications they take – if you don't know what the medication is for or what it's side effects could be, those are excellent follow-up questions! All of these questions are are more open-ended and don't allow for a simple "nope it's all good" – which is almost never an accurate answer, by the way.

Specifically consider the "big three" – diabetes, asthma, and blood thinners. If someone has diabetes or asthma, ask them what they know about how their diabetes/asthma affects their play (and their lives in general). They are the experts on their own bodies and can likely give you some excellent information.

For someone who has asthma, the most important considerations to follow up with are: do they have an albuterol (rescue) inhaler? Where is it? When did they last have to use it? What triggers their asthma? Bondage can trigger asthma attacks, so it’s critical that their inhaler is within reach, and that their partner knows where it is. Face down positions like hog ties put more pressure on the chest and can be more difficult for folks with respiratory issues, so choosing a different bondage position (like face up) might be better for someone who has asthma.

For someone who has diabetes, follow up considerations include: when did you last eat? When did you last check your blood sugar? Have you been diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage)? One big concern is experiencing a drop in their blood sugar during play, so consider making sure there is a handy sugar source (like juice) for them to have if they need it. Symptoms of low blood sugar include cold, clammy skin, confusion, trembling, and more (google "symptoms of hypoglycemia" for more info than you could possibly want). If their diabetes is poorly controlled, they likely have some degree of peripheral neuropathy of their lower extremities. This increases their risk for nerve damage and you may consider being more careful with tying their ankles (or avoid them entirely) – use more wrapping turns, taking care to spread the load (for instance by adding an extra thigh rope), etc.

For someone who is on blood thinners, there are many follow-up questions needed – so many that it gets it's own article!

Allergies are crucial to discuss. Of course you probably don't give a shit about a penicillin allergy, but a latex allergy could certainly be relevant. If they have a history of grass allergies, there's a chance they could have a reaction to natural fiber (hemp) rope – they might consider wearing a small amount of rope as a bracelet around their wrist for a day or so to check for any reaction. If they have a history of severe allergic reactions, do they have an epi pen? Where, and do you know how to use it if needed?

Considering a person's level of activity can give you a lot of information about their health in general, and cardiovascular (heart) health specifically. If they do a 2 hour hike once a week, they’ll probably survive some physically strenuous bondage. If they have shortness of breath after climbing a flight of stairs – well, you’d better take it slowly.

Bloodborne disease status is always good to know (hepatitis and HIV are the big ones). As a top, I always disclose my last testing date and results before asking my partner for their own status. Of course this is much more relevant for some scenes (those involving sexual contact or playing to blood) than for others (a scene involving giving a bondage ride to a fully clothed individual would be very, very low risk).

It's crucial to ask about joints, including history of injuries and degree of flexibility. Most types of bondage involve some sort of strain on the joints – kneeling can be hard on the knees, hair pulling can be a problem for someone with chronic neck issues, etc. Joint problems are quite common!

Since nerve damage is cumulative, considering any history of nerve damage is important. If they have a previous bondage-related nerve injury, that is especially relevant (consider lots of details on how/when it occurred), but something like carpal tunnel syndrome or sciatica is also nerve damage and should prompt, at the least, more cautious bondage of the affected area.

Suspension bondage requires even more attention to health considerations – details on that can be found in this follow-up article.

These are just some highlights, and this article is not in any way an exhaustive discussion of this topic. Hopefully this has at least given you some ideas of the truly key information! And one more thing: taking a first aid and/or CRP class is a good idea if you want to be responsible and confident in your play.