Category: (Sado)Masochism
Subcategory: Types

Bastinado (feet torture)

Bastinado is the practice of applying impact to the soles of the feet. Implements commonly used include canes, crops, switches, or specially designed foot whips. The feet are typically restrained or positioned to expose the soles fully, often with the recipient lying on their back or stomach.

The physical sensation is particularly intense due to the concentration of nerve endings in the feet and the thin skin covering them. Even light strikes create sharp, resonant pain that can be felt throughout the body. The confined impact area allows for precise control of sensation while the feet's limited fat padding means less force is needed to create significant effect. The after-effects can include temporary difficulty walking and lingering sensitivity that continues stimulation beyond the active play period.

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This is a description of an activity in the BDSM checklist (also known as a 'kink list'). Want to discover what (more) kinks you might have? Maybe share them with a partner? Start the checklist!

About the category (Sado)Masochism

Sadomasochism involves the consensual exchange of sensation that many would find painful or intense in non-erotic contexts. This spectrum encompasses both the giving (sadism) and receiving (masochism) of such sensations, creating experiences where pain, intensity, and pleasure become interwoven through deliberate and controlled application.

People enjoy sadomasochistic activities for diverse reasons: the intense endorphin rush that creates natural highs, the intimate trust required between partners, the transformation of pain into pleasure through context and arousal, and the cathartic release many experience through intense sensation. Rather than being about suffering, well-executed SM play creates unique states of consciousness and connection that many practitioners find impossible to access through other means, offering profound physical and psychological experiences when practiced with skill and care.



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