Abstract: A support body for an apparatus having an extended nip defined between a contact surface of an elastically deformable support body and an opposed surface, the support body comprising a pressure chamber or several pressure chambers arranged to be pressurized for loading the nip via the contact surface. The support body can be provided with a holding device that forms a counter support for the pressure chamber or pressure chambers except at the side facing the contact surface. A method of forming the extended nip in the apparatus entails applying a pressure in at least one pressure chamber of the support body and expanding elastically deformable side portions of the support body. A further method of controlling the load in the extended nip entails designing the support body with several pressure chambers and setting the pressures in the pressure chambers in accordance with a predetermined pattern.