A spreader bar is a rigid rod with attachment points at each end. Ankles or wrists clip to those points and stay apart. The bar sets a distance the wearer cannot close. That exposure is the whole trick.

Adjustable bars use telescoping tubes and pins. Check the pins. A bar that collapses mid-scene slams ankles together and can twist a knee. Padding at the cuffs matters more than the shine of the bar. A bare metal cuff on a thin ankle goes numb.

Length should match the body. A bar that is too wide strains hips. People with knee issues may prefer a shorter bar and a chair. Do not use a spreader as a hanging point unless it was built and rated for suspension, which most bedroom bars are not.

Scene logistics

• Leave a way to hop or sit if balance goes.
• Keep the floor clear of other toys.
• Quick-release clips beat double-knotted rope at the ankles.
• Wipe the bar; it is handled with lube on the hands.