Writer’s Cramp
Writer’s cramp is a form of dystonia, or involuntary muscle contractions, which makes the fingers and hand move into abnormal postures when writing or performing other intensive hand activities, such as typing, playing an instrument, eating/feeding, brushing teeth, or brushing hair. This can cause pain, spasms, fatigue, and decreased legibility of penmanship or decreased task performance. A specific activity or movement can bring on the symptoms. The fingers may extend straight, or the wrist may flex and bend while the elbow extends straight. One might lose their grip or feel uncoordinated. Muscle spasms and hand cramps are more common in men than women. Poor posture and increased writing or playing time of an instrument can play a part in the symptoms, as well as increased stress or anxiety.
Curbing Muscle Cramping
Although muscle cramping can happen any time of year for a variety reasons, I tend to notice increased complaints from my active and/or athletic populations during the throes of summer. Whether they are simply being more outdoorsy and recreational or training for an upcoming sport season or competition, muscle cramping seems to be more prevalent in hot weather. For those of you wondering about the “how” and “why,” below you’ll find a quick review but more importantly, some tips and pointers on what you can do to combat muscle cramping in hotter weather.
