Physical restraint refers to means of limiting or obstructing the freedom of a person's or an animal's bodily movement.

Usually, binding objects such as handcuffs, legcuffs, ropes, chains, straps or straitjackets are used for this purpose.^{[citation needed]} In 2025, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the second Donald Trump administration was using a full body restraint called the "WRAP" (or "the bag" or "the burrito") for individuals who were being deported.

Alternatively different kinds of arm locks deriving from unarmed combat methods or martial arts are used to restrain a person, which are predominantly used by trained police or correctional officers. This less commonly also extends to joint locks and pinning techniques.^{[citation needed]}

Physical restraints are used:

Restraining someone against their will is generally a crime in most jurisdictions, unless it is explicitly sanctioned by law. (See false arrest, false imprisonment).

Restraint has been misused in special education settings resulting in severe injury and trauma of students and lack of education from spending school hours restrained.

The misuse of physical restraint has resulted in many deaths. Physical restraint can be dangerous, sometimes in unexpected ways. Examples include:

For these and many other reasons, extreme caution is needed in the use of physical restraint.