{"id":3415,"date":"2017-03-03T13:55:30","date_gmt":"2017-03-03T13:55:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oakwoodtrainin.wpengine.com\/?p=3415"},"modified":"2023-12-06T13:46:41","modified_gmt":"2023-12-06T13:46:41","slug":"face-restraint-missing-point","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oakwoodtraining.co.uk\/face-restraint-missing-point\/","title":{"rendered":"Face Down Restraint- Could We Be Missing The Point?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Once again prone or “face down restraint” is in the news.<\/a> An awful lot has been made about how dangerous and degrading this position is, and for the most part- rightly so. Despite guidance to the contrary, it seems it is used far more than it should be. <\/p>\n

But with all the focus on “Face down” or Prone Restraint, I wonder… could we be missing the point? Stick with me on this…<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

My main point in writing this post is to highlight: <\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The myth that “prone” is the baddy and everything else is safe.<\/li>\n
  2. The over reliance on prone in some settings.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \u200bSo lets get clear on what we are talking about<\/h5>\n

    \u200bProne Restraint is simply restraining someone on their stomach- face down. This position has been implicated in the deaths of many, and can lead to “Positional Asphyxia”. There has over recent years been a drive to reduce if not eliminate its use as a default or preferred position. <\/p>\n

    “Positional” or “Restraint Asphyxia” then is:<\/p>\n

    “Death which results from a body position that interferes with the ability to breathe. When compression of the trunk limits chest movements preventing the diaphragm moving up and down between the chest and the abdomen impairing breathing.” <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Police Complaints Authority – Policing Acute Behavioural Disturbance – Revised Edition, March 2002.<\/p>\n

    Several guidance documents like “Positive and Proactive Care”<\/a> for example, “ban” the use of Prone restraint because of the risk of Positional Asphyxia. <\/p>\n

    Positive and Proactive Care Para 70 states:<\/p>\n

    “There must be no planned or intentional restraint of a person in a prone\/face down position on any surface, not just the floor.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    This is quite rightly, one of the first points commissioners of training will ask us about. And no, we don’t teach “Prone Restraint” as part of our standard syllabus.<\/p>\n

    But is all the focus on Prone missing the point?<\/p>\n

    \u200b1. The myth that “prone” is the baddy and everything else is safe.<\/h5>\n

    It’s great that people are more aware of it, but the real danger in restraining someone is whether their breathing is in any way restricted.<\/span> Regardless of whether they are laying face down, upside down, on their back or in some sort of downward dog lotus hybrid position.<\/p>\n

    The reality is that no physical intervention is 100% safe.<\/span> <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    So whilst you can not deny that prone presents significant risk, s<\/span>o do many other positions which we might assume are safe-because no-one is jumping up and down about them.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u200bBy focusing all our attention on prone, are we in danger of missing the moonwalking bear? <\/p>\n

    <\/span><\/p>\n

    In fairness to Positive and Proactive Care, it does very clearly say:<\/p>\n

    “Staff must not deliberately restrain people in a way that impacts on their airway, breathing or circulation, such as face down restraint on any surface, not just on the floor.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Take for example sitting someone down. You might think this is far safer than pinning someone to the floor, but you would be wrong. <\/p>\n

    Reader participation time then…(please consult your doctor before attempting this)<\/p>\n

      \n