Thumb cuffs are a type of restraint that is used to immobilize the thumbs. These cuffs are usually made of leather and have two straps for the thumbs to go in. They were originally designed as a way to restrain violent prisoners who happened to have their thumbs stuck up their noses or in their ears. Now they are still used by police officers, doctors, dentists, and medical professionals to immobilize someone's thumbs so that they can do procedures on them with less chance of injury.

The First Thumb Cuffs of History

Chicago police officer O.W. Wilson made the first cuffs in the 1870s. There was a problem in Chicago at the time: there were too many violent prisoners in police custody who had their thumbs up their noses or ears. It is not known what kind of prisoner would do this, but it was a common occurrence and became an issue for the police officers on duty. 

The offenders would stick their thumbs up their nose or ear and then they would be taken to the station and have to wait for someone to arrive to get them out of their predicament. This would take time, so the police officers decided to create a tool to speed up the process. Officer Wilson came up with a simple design and soon became an official Chicago police item. Wilson's invention was based on a ring around the thumb with two straps over the wrist towards the knuckle. 

The purpose of this device was to prevent the offender from removing their hands from their face or ear while they were waiting for assistance. This simple design has changed little since then. To get around this problem, doctors and dentists sometimes use these cuffs after they have done procedures on someone's thumbs to ensure that no one will remove their hands from their body.

Uses and Applications of Thumb Cuffs

Thumb cuffs are a versatile product that can be used to enforce many different types of restraints. The powerful design is tight enough to keep even the most willful escape artist on their toes, but the construction of the item makes it easy to release misuse without removing any portions of your hand. More importantly, combining these cuffs with other restraints allows for a wide diversity of applications to better suit your needs and threat level. Here are the detailed uses and applications of these cuffs:


1. Handcuffs

The most common use of these cuffs is to serve as a replacement for regular handcuffs. This allows the user to make more efficient use of their hands and even provides an extra layer of safety for the un-cuffed hand in case the suspect tries to attack them in an attempt to escape. 

However, one should consider how strong cuffs are before using them for such a purpose. If you only want a little security to help keep someone from running away or attempting an attack on officers, you might want to look at options like handcuff key holders instead of cuffs.

2. Restraints with Wrist and Ankle Cuffs

Thumb cuffs work great in conjunction with other restraint like wrist and ankle cuffs. They allow for a quick, easy way to keep someone from running away, but are sturdy enough to keep them still and safe to a certain extent. This is an incredibly useful combination for anyone who wants a quick and effective lockdown, but who also has other restraints available.

3. Restraints with Padded Restraints

These cuffs are also great partners with padded restraints. These cuffs are designed to freely move over the skin of the wrist or ankle without restraint, and act as comfortable weight or padding while keeping the prisoner secure. These can be used when cuffed wrists or ankles may not be strong or safe enough to restrain someone securely.

4. Restraints with Rope Restraints

Rope restraints can be combined with thumb cuffs for similar purposes. These cuffs are placed around the wrist or ankle and tied to other restraints, effectively tying together all your prisoner's limbs for a more secure hold. These can be used as an alternative to padded restraints if you want simpler, faster options that still keep them restrained like rope, but also run the risk of applying too little pressure and allowing them to escape more easily.

5. Restraints Alone

Thumb cuffs may be used alone for almost any purpose that doesn't involve wrists or ankles. They can be used as a pillow, to put over-the-head blindfolds on a suspect, or in other creative ways to keep someone subdued without the weight of other restraints. These are great for keeping even high-risk suspects in place and out of trouble but are not great for restraining people who may fight back against you.

6. Video Restraint

These cuffs can also be used in conjunction with other restraint methods to enhance the effectiveness of safety equipment like video cameras and electronic monitoring devices. This option is a bit less common than some of the others listed above but allows you to safely restrain someone while allowing them to move around within their sight. This is a great way to keep someone in one place while keeping them secured with other restraints.

7. Restraints for Isolation

These cuffs can be useful for holding people who need to be isolated from the general public while in detention or prison. This is most commonly done with people who are undergoing psychiatric evaluation or those who are suspected of identity theft and need to be kept restrained during questioning. The thumb cuff serves as an anchoring point, allowing you to hold the suspect securely without having to tie them too tightly or risk cutting off circulation to their hands.

8. Restraints for Medical Fittings

Finally, thumb cuffs can be used for medical fittings where you need to keep someone's wrists and hands restrained. This is most commonly done with people who are undergoing X-rays or other medical procedures that require immobilization, but it also works well when dealing with those who may attempt to injure themselves because of their weakened state or mental illness. By keeping their hands contained and closely monitored, you can ensure their safety at all times during these procedures.

Combined with other restraints, these cuffs offer a vast amount of options for anyone looking to keep people secure and under control. From emergencies to aiding in medical procedures, these cuffs are an invaluable part of any security officer's arsenal.

The Popularity of Thumb Cuffs!

Possibly the most controversial product in history is a new invention that could change our lives. Thumb cuffs are designed to help us stay on our phones without the annoying hassle of having to hold them ourselves! The cuffs stretch around your thumb and phone, causing you to press down on both devices together for optimal contact. Although many people are excited about this new trend, many legislators have been very vocal about their distaste for these cuffs. 

People fear that it will lead to "arm fatigue" which could lead to possible injury if not taken seriously enough. Others are worried that consumers may confuse the straps as being a form of restraint, leading to potential abuse. Many are concerned that this trend will take people away from the Senate, forcing them all to be thumb-cuffed. These are just a few of the reasons that they aren't getting much support from the general public, but who can argue with such logic?

The cuffs themselves are available in many different colors, so you can choose any that makes you happy! I'm personally partial to red and blue, but feel free to design your own! Thumb cuffs may be a product like this one for the masses, but let's hope it doesn't end like bras did. We have to keep our phones on us at all times if we want to do anything these days! If you need a new way to do just that, thumb cuffs might be for you.