Just a decade ago many people had the practice of writing in Pen and Pencil. Legibility of handwriting played a very major role during those times. But things have changed now, many of us use keyboards. Keyboards have most effectively replaced our pens and pencils. But many people do have the practice of writing a rough draft using pen or pencil, before typing it out to a computer using the keyboard. When you make use of a computer keyboard without giving proper rest and relaxation your hand joints need, you might end up with a condition what is what known as Writer’s cramp.
Writer’s Cramp Problem
Pain, sprain in the Hands, finger, hand joints and shoulders is usually called as writer’s cramp.
How to Detect Writer’s cramp?
Commonly, this would cause pain while opening and closing palms. Whenever there is Writer’s cramp it will cause high levels of pain in the thumb. Pain in thumb usually confirms Writer’s cramp.
People who are affected by writer’s cramp won’t even be able to sign a paper, due to pain.
Reasons
Writer’s Cramp usually happens when a person doesn’t give proper rest to his hands.
For Writers who do not hold their pen in the correct position. Some people have the habit of tightly holding on to their pen. Some keep it in slanted position while writing. Writing continuously for longer time duration without any proper rest can lead to writer’s cramp. This problem mainly affects people who write a lot, particularly, people between the age group of 30 to 50 years. It can also affect students who write a lot.
People who use typewriters and keyboards
Typing on a typewriter, using keyboards continuously will give more strain to fingers, so typing continuously on keyboard or typewriter without any proper rest can lead to this problem. Some keyboards will have hard keys. This will make the person who is using that keyboard to give more pressure on his fingers, this can make the fingers weak. People who are involved in typewriting, data entry, and similar jobs can have this problem as well.
People who play Musical Instruments
Veena, Guitar, keyboard players who use their instruments continuously can get pain and sprain in their fingers.
How to Fix Writer’s Cramp?
- People in the field of music, computer, writing must take regular and specialized exercises for their fingers and its joints.
- Writers should learn the right way of holding and gripping their pens. Writing while lying in the bed, writing while sitting in wrong positions must be avoided.
- Irrespective of the importance of work they do, they need to make sure there is a proper interval or break between their works.
- Cracking fingers can be avoided. Cracking fingers will affect the lubrication in-between their finger joints.
- Applying coconut oil to hands and fingers, massaging it gently does help a lot.
- If a person experiences continuous pain, which leads to withdrawal of their works can consult a Doctor.
Exercises to prevent Pain and Sprain in hands
- Playing with stress ball and clay, it can even be china clay, are some of the best exercises for fingers.
- Placing flexible threads in between fingers and exercising with it can be good. Avoid using rubber bands for this, as rubber bands can detach from fingers and hit in the eyes or hands and hurt the person.
- Closing and opening palms and fingers for 5 to 10 minutes a day is a good exercise.
- Placing small objects like mustard seeds, cumin seeds on a plate and picking it up one by one.
- Touching the tip of the thumb with tips of other fingers for 10 minutes a day is a good practice.