'Bosun, tie him to the missus then give him fifty stokes of the pussy!' 'You mean tie him to the mizzen then give him 50 with the cat, Captain?' 'I know what I said, Bosun, and I know what the missus wants, ye scurvy lubber!'
- Such naughty-cal language! But it does conjure up images of a muscular seaman strapped to the mast, his back ablaze with the weals from a flogging with a knotted rope. Well, it does if you are into that sort of thing of course! The upper back is a tempting site for play, especially pain play. Most of the area isn't particularly sensitive but the large latissimus dorsi muscles overlaying the ribs can soak up a lot of punishment. They and the ribs also protect the vital organs from any great chance of damage from the rear. For these reasons and, perhaps, because of the images with which we grow up, the back is an obvious target. Whether it was Roman slaves, a British man-o-war under sail or a Western, if anyone got a flogging it was always on the back. Safe ground for straight films!
- A Flogging or whipping on the upper back is usually taken readily by the sub. There is often a particularly sensitive area sited at the lower inside quarter of the back muscles on each side. These can be a sweet spots that rival the underside of the buttocks in the pleasure they give.
The sweet spots are a tempting target, but they lie closest to the spine and vulnerable organs within the relatively unprotected lower back, so you have to be accurate to take advantage of them.
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The line from the base of the skull to the coccyx and the area of the lower back should NEVER be a target for anything but sensual play. This whole area contains bones, nerve systems and vital organs that are simply too close to the surface and too vulnerable to damage for any chances to be taken.
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OK, repeat after me, 'The spine and lower back should NEVER be a target for impact play!' No apologies for repeating that, the spine and inner organs sited around the lower back are too easily damaged and the results of doing so are catastrophic. When using a whip, flogger, cane, etc. great care should be taken to avoid accidentally hitting the lower back or neck. A flogger or single tail lashed across the upper back is unlikely to do any harm as the spine will be protected by the raised muscles either side of it. The coccyx is more likely to be accidentally struck while thrashing the sub's backside. It is a relatively small collection of fused bones but often exposed to danger when the sub is bent over. Breaking it results in great pain so please take care.
- Stroking, tickling, surface electrical play such as a violet wand, and the application of heat or cold are all OK, in moderation. Candle wax will do no harm and nor will an ice cube but avoid chilling the sub's kidneys. When flogging a sub's back Dom/mes often protect a sub's neck with their hand or a collar. The lower back can be protected with a towel or a wide leather belt, like a weight lifter's belt. Generally speaking the back can be a rewarding area to play with and with sensible precautions a safe one. Just remember that there are some vital and rather vulnerable areas here as well.
