Switzerland. Canton Valais. Bas-Valais. A man with pain and blood during a chest suspension. A suspension is the act of suspending a human body from hooks that have been put through body piercings. A chest suspension, sometimes incorrectly referred to as an "O-Kee-Pa", is a suspension in which the hook(s) are placed in the chest. Typically two hooks are used for this type of suspension. The suspendee's body is studied to decide the proper placement, number, and size of metal hooks which are pierced into the skin to lift the person off the ground. Depending on the position in which the body is to be suspended, multiple hooks are used. Finding the proper hook placement and number involves basic geometry and an acute understanding of human anatomy and physiology, as well as the durability of the individual's skin. If the number of hooks are too few, the suspended individual's skin will be unable to withstand the body's weight and will rip. The amount of weight that each hook supports must be distributed evenly throughout the entire body. A set of ropes are attached to the hooks in order to slowly and carefully lift an individual off the ground. 23.07.2016 © 2016 Didier Ruef