bluejeff
Level 7 Valued Member
I am trying to do some searching online to figure this out, but haven't had much extra time, so I thought I would take a shot here and see if anyone has any experiences/input.
I was "born" right-handed, but around 2015-2016 I developed focal dystonia in my right hand. You can google about it, but it's essentially a movement disorder than caused me loss of control over my right hand, in addition to painful spasms and more. Long story short, I was able to rehab it back to 90-something% normal.
However, during the course of that time, I had to learn to use my left hand to do pretty much everything. For the most part this wasn't terrible, but I had to learn to write left handed as well, so I could function in the world. Once I got into school, my left neck and shoulder suddenly became problematic, tightening up a lot, causing issues during strength training, hedaches, and more. I have learned a TON about posture and biomechanics since, and this issue is mostly better, except ... I am pretty convinced it developed from having to write left handed as a right handed person, because I often find myself rotating my body to the right and sort of retracting my left shoulder in an effort to see what I am writing.
Now, I have a lot of trouble doing any horizontal pressing in training, because my body is sort of chronically twisted this way. I'm trying to figure out how to live/write/etc so this goes away and I can just do these movements without issue again.
When writing left handed, I have tried learning to write "hook" style, as well as by turning the paper to the right and gripping the pen/pencil higher so I am sort of writing "under" the line I am on. The latter generally feels better, but if I get in a hurry, or find myself intensely focused, I wind up leaning over again.
I should note that I can write right-handed again, depending on how I am feeling. Some days it is still a little tricky. So I can't just stop writing left handed all together.
So my question is just whether any lefties on here have experienced similar issues with backs, necks, shoulders, etc. My theory/question is whether having to find a way to see what one is writing on paper as a left hander causes one to lean/twist the body habitually. It doesn't seem like it would be much of an issue for other activites, as you can just "mirror" what a right-hander would do.
Natural lefties, how do you write? Do you get neck tension a lot? Any tips?
I was "born" right-handed, but around 2015-2016 I developed focal dystonia in my right hand. You can google about it, but it's essentially a movement disorder than caused me loss of control over my right hand, in addition to painful spasms and more. Long story short, I was able to rehab it back to 90-something% normal.
However, during the course of that time, I had to learn to use my left hand to do pretty much everything. For the most part this wasn't terrible, but I had to learn to write left handed as well, so I could function in the world. Once I got into school, my left neck and shoulder suddenly became problematic, tightening up a lot, causing issues during strength training, hedaches, and more. I have learned a TON about posture and biomechanics since, and this issue is mostly better, except ... I am pretty convinced it developed from having to write left handed as a right handed person, because I often find myself rotating my body to the right and sort of retracting my left shoulder in an effort to see what I am writing.
Now, I have a lot of trouble doing any horizontal pressing in training, because my body is sort of chronically twisted this way. I'm trying to figure out how to live/write/etc so this goes away and I can just do these movements without issue again.
When writing left handed, I have tried learning to write "hook" style, as well as by turning the paper to the right and gripping the pen/pencil higher so I am sort of writing "under" the line I am on. The latter generally feels better, but if I get in a hurry, or find myself intensely focused, I wind up leaning over again.
I should note that I can write right-handed again, depending on how I am feeling. Some days it is still a little tricky. So I can't just stop writing left handed all together.
So my question is just whether any lefties on here have experienced similar issues with backs, necks, shoulders, etc. My theory/question is whether having to find a way to see what one is writing on paper as a left hander causes one to lean/twist the body habitually. It doesn't seem like it would be much of an issue for other activites, as you can just "mirror" what a right-hander would do.
Natural lefties, how do you write? Do you get neck tension a lot? Any tips?