Physiology and Biomechanics of Prone Restraint Respiration
Category: Publication
Publication: Medicine, Science and the Law
Authors: Theodore E Milner and Geoffrey T Desmoulin
Summary: This paper reviews the physiological and biomechanical impact of prone restraint on respiration, emphasizing that while a calm, passive individual in the prone position may not experience significant respiratory compromise, the same cannot be said for a struggling, intoxicated, or obese detainee. The combined effects of restraint, elevated CO₂ production, and impaired ventilation can lead to severe acidosis, suggesting that cardiac arrest in such scenarios is more likely driven by hypercapnia than by hypoxia.
