A Psychosomatic Study of Writer's Cramp

Abstract

Writer's cramp (scrivener's palsy, mogigraphie, graphospasms, cheirospasmus, crampe des écrivains, dyskinésie des écrivains, graphic dyskinesia, Fingerkrampf, Schreibkrampf, etc.) is one of a large group of functional motor disorders, known as “occupational neuroses and cramps, craft neuroses, professional neuroses, crampes fonctionelles et professionelles, spasmes professionelles, impotences professionelles, Beschäftigungsneurosen, Beschäftigungskrämpfe”, wherein there is a specific impairment of a learned motor skill. Generally, writer's cramp is characterized by muscular spasm, inco-cordination, and discomfort, variously described as fatigue, weakness, stiffness, or pain when attempting to write. Occasionally, there is an accompanying tremor or jerking of the involved upper limb. There is said to be great variability in the detailed clinical picture. Writing may be difficult or impossible, but outside the act of writing the symptoms generally disappear. Often there are fluctuations within a chronically progressive course but the condition may arrest at any stage of its development.