Author doing a fact check

Hey! So I'm a writer, writing a scene in which my character escapes from handcuffs. I've done several hours of research but can't seem to find any conclusive material on either of the strategies I'm thinking of employing, so I figured this site was the perfect place to fact check and maybe get some suggestions.
The character has her hands handcuffed together, (I don't have any specific cuffs in mind, probably a fairly common, non-high security pair), and the handcuffs are chained to the wall above her. She cannot reach anything to help her pick the lock. 
I've seen things suggesting that dislocating thumbs could get you out of handcuffs, but I've also seen articles with convincing facts that make it seem like that wouldn't work. Even if it was possible, I'm not sure it would work in this scenario, since she would have to dislocate both thumbs to get completely free. Is this even possible, let alone a realistic way of escape in this scenario?
The other thing that I found that seems like it might work is a reference to hitting cuffs against something in order to unlock them.  It was mentioned next to a video link, which I was not able to get to play in order to learn more about this strategy. 
(This is what I saw: "the presenter shows this with Peerless Cuffs. Those are MUCH easier in this respect. Try it with standard S&W Cuffs (as said, the lock is irrelevant here) and you will notice it requires really some impact to get the double lock out. This will hurt! You and possibly also the cuffs depending on the used surface. It might even be impossible if the cuffs spring is too stiff." along with "The cuffs I had are Smith and Wesson and I could not smack them hard enough like the video shows to budge the double lock. ")
How would this work, and is it realistic in this scenario? 
Is there any other realistic way I could get her out? 
Thanks for your time! I appreciate it!

I am no escape artist, but I think that I am familiar with the video that you mentioned. Banging the cuffs against a hard surface would only make it possible to undo the double locks on a standard set of swing through cuffs with a pin double lock such as Peerless cuffs. That would still leave the main lock to get passed.

Here is a video that might help. It shows the inmate disabling the double locks and then shimming the main lock.

here is a page that someone asked about the problems Peerless encountered with the original 700 series chained cuffs and the 801 series hinged cuffs.    https://www.m4carbine.net/archive/index ... 20685.html      They did a recall on certain models, due to the springs being weak and prisoner's being able to bang them against a hard surface to undo the double lock, as pointed out above. As far as how to undo the single locks, once the double lock is defeated, they either have be picked or shimmed to be opened. There are individuals who can squeeze out of a fully closed set of standard cuffs. My exgf was one of them, much to my surprise! LOL! No matter how tight they were, she could slip them. Her hands were very small and collapsed a lot! It was crazy to see! She could do it with no injuries.  But, since your character is in dire straits to get out of these, perhaps, she slips them, but takes some flesh damage during the escape attempt? Now, there are vintage cuffs that can be defeated by means, with out any tools. One example that is very common is some pair of darby style handcuffs. The locking bolt is held by a spring. The spring gets weak with age and rust. Sometimes on some sets, you can bang them against a hard object and cause the locking pin to momentarily compress the spring, just enough to pull the cuffs open. It all has to be done in one swift motion. You have to bang the cuffs on the end that has the key hole. hit the key hole against a flat surface. Easier to do, when the key hole is banged downwards, like against the floor.  Maybe bang them off of each other, in this way? Bang, while pulling against the cuffs arm. The locking bolt doesnt have to pull back very far to get them to pop open. That is, if you wanted to use a vintage restraint? 

These are the style of cuffs i talk about above. The darby. The make both adjustable and non- adjustable. The first set is a vintage  adjustable cuffs that sell for about $100 on ebay. The second pic is a modern reproduction of a darby cuff that is made in India. Very commonly found and sell for less than $25, usually.  -Richard Knip-

If she is handcuffed with arms above her head and the cuffs are fastened to the wall, (a ring?) there is not enough distance for her to move the cuffs to produce any inertia for it to work. 

Non adjustable versions of both are easier to escape by banging, since there is only one locking tooth to be released. The adjustable, you would have to bang several times, until the cuff opens enough to slip a hand out or the cuffs fully open.  To answer the inertia question, that would depend on the length of the chain the cuffs have. Since they sell all different lengths in different styles of cuffs.
-Richard Knip-

Hi,
With Richard talking about India above, it gives me an idea. If you set the scene in India and do a Bollywood movie, you can have her do a sexy writhing number with her hands chained above her and have her singing, in which case it would then be OK to have Ganeshe (the boy Elephant god) come to her rescue. 
Mike

djhalfdead wrote: ↑

May 04, 2020

Non adjustable versions of both are easier to escape by banging, 

Have you ever done this yourself?  

Donster. Yes I have. I used an old darby, i cannot remember who made it. Never used it on stage, but tried it will learning the art of escapes. I was an escape artist, that performed for a young age until i was 22 and had a stroke. I can tell you, it takes a heck of a bang, and hurts a lot! But, it can be done. I got the idea from several books on houdini. They said he would strap a piece of metal to his leg under his pants to bang some cuffs on to open them. I didnt try that. I tried it with a concrete block. It does a lot of damage to your cuffs, too. In the case of this character's problem, that wouldnt be an issue.
-Richard Knip-

Thank you for all your suggestions and time! This was very helpful!

We know this guy.

Joe, this statement may be true but more accurately, He is the man that knows/nose.