a mounting structure 306 houses the bladder arrangement and defines openings 308 310 for passage therethrough of an appendage such as a hand in fig3 the bladder members are deflated to a state defining openings 312 314 for receiving and releasing an appendage the openings 312 314 are dimensioned to allow passage of a hand therethrough according to the illustrated embodiment of a wrist and arm restraint system 300 though other embodiments of restraint systems for other joints and appendages are within the scope of the present invention in fig4 the bladder members are selectively activated to inflation at a state defining openings 316 318 for restraining an appendage from being withdrawn the openings 316 318 are illustrated as diminished in size compared to openings 312 314 due to inflation of the bladder members 302 304 thus with placement of a wrist or a portion of an arm through the openings of the housing 308 310 withdrawal is allowed in fig3 in fig4 however withdrawal of the arm is prevented due to restraining forces applied to the wrist or arm by the inflated bladders as the restraining forces are derived from the pressures within the bladders an arm is restrained forcibly but safely as restraining forces vary in part with the product of the pressure within.