Back in elementary school they told us that our son holds a pencil wrong and they believe whatever was "wrong with him" he has been adapting wrong. So, he was sent to occupational therapy to learn how to hold a pencil and fork. That's when he started dropping the pencil and fork all the time. It is very hard for him to write. His neuro suggested using script, the sad thing is that in our school system they don't teach the kids script or typing. In my days, penmanship was important and typing was mandatory. When he got to high school or maybe the last year in middle school they suggested he start typing his notes on the computer and my answer was but you never teach kids how to type. Go Figure...it is weird to see my two older children sign their names on documents printing. I still remember typing class to this day. aaa sss ddd fff fas fas fas..Ha Ha.

I still remember "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" from typing class. Funny what sticks with you.

Jan

Hi,
I too have problems writing---I never once considered the fact that it could make a difference if I used a different writing utensil.....they all seemed to cause me the same pain....especially in my wrists---When I had my EMG done I also had her test me for carpil tunnel syndrome, because of the pain I get in my wrists, not only with writing but basically with everything, luckily I DO NOT have CTS.

I remember typing classes in High School,those old electric typewriters......my pinky finger always gave out first. And to this day I have problems after I am on the computer for awhile, my whole hand gives out on me,what I mean by gives out on me is that I loose all muscle strength, my wrists hurt and the pain moves up to my forarm into my elbow.......We just never get a break do we?

I still remember "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" from typing class. Funny what sticks with you.

Jan, I remember that phrase also...now that you wrote it but what was it...was it that that was one of the phrases we had to type. Sort of a way to get us to use our fingers all over the keyboard? Beth, we are lucky in that our son is a computer geek and he is amazing with playing games and beating the programs. But when it comes to typing he does what his dad and brother does...uses two fingers. LOL.

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog is a sentence which uses each and every letter in the alphabet, so was one of those exercises thought to be good for getting our fingers all over the querty keyboard. I was so rebellious by that point, and a total feminist, that I worked harder at avoiding learning how to type than it would have taken to just learn the stupid skill! And now, with computers so pervasive in our lives, I really wish I had learned touch typing, instead of still hunting and pecking with 3 fingers! LOL lois

I know this is a very very old post, but I decided to comment anyway because it's kind of a big thing for me.

I can type over 60 wpm but when it comes to writing, if I don't want what I wrote to be a mystery to me a few days later, I have to write very slow compared to most other people. Most people seem to be capable at writing at a speed I like to call "faster than I thought humanly possible", because the capability to move that fast, aside from typing, is COMPLETELY beyond me.

I've even observed that people with one hand tend to be faster and more dexterous than me.

I also have to stop more frequently to shake my hand out and let the muscles fully relax, because they just get locked into this constantly tense mode. I guess kind of like paradoxical myotonia? I don't write cursive for this reason.

I used to stay at school very late to study in empty classrooms because I was able to write on the board much faster than on paper, but the janitorial staff kicked me out. I always felt a bit nervous until the doors locked anyway.

So I just have to deal with the consequences of being a sloth in a world of squirrels.

Type of Myotonia: Becker Myotonia

I have terrible writing and the harder I try to write well the more my hand cramps. Keyboards were revolutionary for me and I hardly ever do anything by hand any more.

I've never tried some of the modified writing instruments that are used for arthritis and other conditions. I don't know if it's the pinching that does it or the pressure. I can write easier with something like a speedball pen. What's interesting is that I can play my bodhran (Irish drum) for a long time without tiring and you hold the tipper just like a pencil, only loosely.

Jan

Type of Myotonia: Thomsen's MC

Country: US