Just hanging around: questions and answers about body suspensions.

It’s Saturday night at 3 AM and a 24-year-old heavily pierced and tattooed man presents to triage with multiple lacerations on his arms and legs. In obtaining the initial history, it is found that he was undergoing a body suspension at a local club and “the hooks ripped out.” He indicates that he was advised to “get some stitches” for the wounds. Your mind is trained to ask questions such as, “When was your last tetanus shot?” and you are mentally preparing yourself by considering what hidden injuries may be present. However, the question you are dying to ask is, “Why was he hanging by hooks in the first place?” What follows are some questions and answers that focus on the aspects of suspensions from the perspective of the body piercer and the health care professional. Are Body Suspensions a New Fad?