Problem

Writer's cramp

Nature:

Writer's cramp or focal hand dystonia (FHD) is an idiopathic movement disorder of adult onset, characterized by abnormal posturing and movement of the hand and/or forearm during tasks requiring skilled hand use, such as writing. Overcontraction of affected muscles, cocontraction of agonist and antagonist pairs, and activation of muscles inappropriate to a task all impair use of the affected hand.

Writer's cramp is a task-specific focal dystonia of the hand. 'Focal' refers to the symptoms being limited to one location (the hand in this case), and 'task-specific' means that symptoms first occur only when the individual engages in a particular activity. Writer's cramp first affects an individual by interfering with their ability to write, especially for prolonged periods of time.

Epidemiologic studies report a prevalence of 7–69 per million population for writer's cramp, which explains its recognition as a rare disease, like all other forms of dystonia.
Broader Problems:
Disorders of the hand and wrist
Repetitive strain injuries
Problem Type:
G: Very specific problems
Date of last update
08.06.2018 – 10:51 CEST