Bruising is a very popular topic and a frequent question that people involved in sᴍ play asks. I’ve
been asked to create a more in-depth writing on this, so please use the headlines dividing the text to
navigate.
Comment below if you have anything to add, questions or comments about anything in this writing.
Thank you!
➳ Understanding what a contusion is
A bruising happens when the small capillary walls rupture and blood leaks under the skin to the surrounding
tissue, creating colourful variations of indigo, blue, green, yellow and brown.
The toughness and resilience of the capillary vary in different areas. Soft tissue will also be prone to bruise over
a larger area. Areas with extensive vascularity will be more receptive of contusions, such as arms, shins, knees
and facial area.
Women are often more prone to contusions due to more subcutaneous fat. Likewise, does the genetics of people
with a lighter complexion have easier for bruising. With age, the strength of the small capillary walls will
diminish, also making you more receptive for bruising over the course of time.
Vitamin deficiency, medical conditions, drugs and medicines can also greatly affect how little- or how much you
bruise.
Medical conditions such as Haemophilia, and vitamin deficiency in for example vitamin K, vitamin
C and vitamin E can also make your more prone to bruising.
➳ Risks
If the capillary experience repeated trauma regularly, they will become more resilient with scarring and the
nerves desensitise. The texture of the area may also become similar to treated leather and is often referred to
as Leather butt syndrome.
Letting the area get ample time to heal between sessions, massage of the area, applying warmth and applying
moisturising creams and oils can help to regain some sensation and keep a soft texture. But if impact play is
done somewhat regularly, some degree of Leather butt syndrome is inevitable.
The risk factor of bruises also increases if an area is subjected to repeated impact without healing. This can
accumulate extensive fluids and bleedings underneath the skin, causing fluctuating lump or swelling. This is
called Hematoma and can harden so the internal clot can cut off blood to the tissue.
Blunt force and the appearance of contusions on the head and abdomen are very dangerous, as there is limited
tissue to protect your organs and brain which can cause lasting and even fatal damages.
Disclosure: Broken bones, broken tendons, strained muscles and damaged ligaments can often appear as bruises.
If you have reasons to suspect a more serious damage, or if you experience that there is liquid trapped under the
skin:
ɢᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ɪᴍᴍᴇᴅɪᴀᴛᴇ ᴀᴛᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴀ ᴘʜʏsɪᴄɪᴀɴ
➳ Contusion by pressure
A contusion can be created with a strong pressure over time. Such as with rope suspension, or with the
application of a tourniquet.
But to be able to create a internal bleeding, the pressure has to be heavy and applied to a small area so the force
itself isn’t absorbed by the small capillary.
➳ Contusion by impact
A more common way to create a contusion is by impact play.
By applying high energy that causes the small capillary to rapture. The best way to rupture the capillary walls is
therefore heavy impact with blunt force rather than a lengthy session.
Blood circulation by doing a slow, and softer warm up, or by applying heat (with for instance a hot shower)
increases, and make the capillary more durable. But it is also worth noting that increased blood circulation also
creates denser, and vivid bruising once the small capillaries raptures.
To exploit this, you can take a hot shower, or apply heath after a session to keep the blood from coagulating
quite as fast, limiting the dens hue of the initial contusions.
Position and tension in muscles plays a vital part in contusion.
Taunt muscles cannot absorb the energy of impact and are therefore more likely to rupture on impact. You can
either position yourself in a way that the muscles are naturally taunt, or by clenching hard upon impact.
Areas where the tissue has less protective fat and is trapped between the force of impact and bone also creates
more energy that can burst the small capillary walls.
➳ Shearing
A wooden paddle will create a more dense bruise than a flogger of the same weight because it amasses a blunt
force that the flexibility of the material (wood) doesn’t absorb.
But while an implement with thud sends the force to the internal tissue, the stingy implement will prod at the
outer layer of the skin and can break through, causing a bleeding from an open wound.
Once the outer layer of skin opens up and bleeds, the chances of blood trapped under the skin (appearing as a
contusion) diminish significantly.
Shearing can often happen with paddles that have either a sharp edge or with holes. When the implement hits the
area, the energy will create an action in the tissue that is hit, while the tissue adjacent (outside the edge, or
directly under the hole) will try and absorb the energy pushing in the opposite direction.
If powerful enough, this can rip not only the small capillary apart but also the outer layer of the skin.
You can likewise see this with a strong blow of a cane. The area of impact will show two ripped, red lines on
either side of the actual impact of the implement.
If not all blood from the raptured capillary bleeds out externally, there can still be contusions left, although not
as vivid and dense as with the outer layer of skin intact.