By definition, writer’s cramp (aka hand dystonia) is a focal movement disorder characterized by excessive and involuntary muscle contractions in the fingers, hand, and forearm that may co-occur with pain. It may also lead to the shoulder. While the condition can be found in anyone who employs fine motor coordination of hand and arm muscles, it gets the name “writer’s cramp” because when it was first identified, symptoms were most prevalent amongst writers who put pen to paper for hours on end. It’s this group of individuals that we’re focusing on today, as they (you) have gone online to search for writer’s cramp physiotherapy near you. Below is a breakdown of how physiotherapy can alleviate the pain, discomfort, and malfunction so that you can return to your vocation and/or passion without the disorder disrupting your process.
How Physiotherapy Will Alleviate Hand Dystonia for Various Types of Writers
Physiotherapy for the Traditional Writer
Good for you, for keeping the concept of writing by instrument (pen/pencil) and parchment alive. It has become a lost art in modern society. Of course, it’s not just authors and poets who do so, as there are architects and various designers who still prefer traditional methods. While we applaud you all, we do want to provide words of caution regarding the manner of which you do your work.
In most cases, writer’s cramp is caused by improper placement of a writing instrument in your hand, compounded by poor posture and the simple fact that you persist in this position for extended periods of time. Simply put, writer’s cramp for traditional writers is an overuse injury that co-occurs with poor writing posture and holding a pen/pencil improperly.
A physiotherapist will assess your seated position and the manner of which you hold your instrument. From there, they will teach you to position yourself so as to not aggravate the overuse injury any longer. As you simultaneously relearn how to write in a traditional manner, your physiotherapist will prescribe exercises to improve independence and precision of fingers and wrist movements.
Physiotherapy for Traditional Typewriter Typists
The above heading is a bit of a tongue twister, but it needed to be said. We see them (you?) quite often these days, as authors, screenwriters, and others who have a way with words retreat to the tools that have crafted literary masterpieces since they were first invented in 1868.
Interestingly, people who use traditional typewriters are at less risk of repetitive strain injury (RSI) than those who use modern, even ergonomic, keyboards because the traditional method required proper alignment of the spine, shoulders, elbows, forearms, wrists, and hands. Given that the keys to the manual typewriter are mechanical and require the weight of arms to depress them, writers instinctively use their arms properly and type with properly curved fingers. The elevation of the keys above the table surface further demand this. As it turns out, you reduce your risk of writer’s cramp by using a traditional typewriter. That being said, you’re not completely free of complications.
If you experience pain in the fingers, hands, wrists, and forearms while using a traditional typewriter, you’re probably not suffering from focal dystonia. Instead, the symptoms you’re experiencing may be the consequence of other injuries, peripheral nerve damage, or spinal cord lesions. This will be unveiled in your initial physiotherapy assessment, and will determine whether to not acupuncture, manual therapy, and/or chiropractic interventions need to be employed.
Physiotherapy for the Modern Writer
Like with someone who uses a traditional typewriter, you may be referring to your hand and wrist pain as “writer”s cramp” even though it’s likely something else. In your case, it is probably an RSI such as tendonitis or carpel tunnel syndrome. Given the widespread nature of this modern problem for writer’s, we have covered the topic extensively. Please reference these 5 tips to managing hand and wrist pain when typing on modern devices.
PHYSIOTHERAPY FOR WRITER’S CRAMP IN GREATER VANCOUVER BC:
CALL: 604.558.2273
EMAIL:
in**@ab****************.com