Simple stretches for your wrists, hands, neck, and shoulders, together with regular breaks and a relaxed grip, can ease the pain that long writing sessions leave behind, whether you type or write by hand.
When you are writing, you are focused and in the flow, and you want to finish one more page or one more thought. And the next morning? You rub the sore muscles in your neck. Your wrists ache, and your fingers hurt from hammering on the keyboard all night.
If you are an author, or simply spend a lot of time at a desk writing by hand or on a computer, you know these pains. They come after long sessions in a chair, typing your heart out. And if you write by hand, pain in your wrists and fingers is even more likely than when you type.
Relax. These few exercises and tips can ease the pain after a long writing session.
Exercises for your wrists
Whether you write with a pen or on a keyboard, your wrists pay the price when you bring your thoughts to paper or screen. Give your writing hand, or hands, a break and a good stretch.
- Wrist rolls: Roll your wrists and hands around 3 to 5 times in each direction.
- Squeeze balls: Take a soft squeeze ball in each hand, or in one hand at a time, and squeeze it about 10 times with each hand.
- Stretch and fist: Stretch your hand out flat, then make a fist. Repeat 3 to 5 times with each hand.
- Claw stretch: Curl your fingers into a claw with some tension, then pull the fingers back to stretch your wrist as well. Hold for about 5 seconds, relax, and repeat 3 to 5 times.
Exercises for your neck and shoulders
Hunching over a sheet of paper strains your neck, and writing at a computer often brings slight pain in the neck and shoulders, too. Give your shoulders and neck a good stretch.
- Shrugs: Sit or stand up straight and pull your shoulders up to your ears. Hold for 3 seconds, then release. Repeat 5 to 10 times.
- Behind-the-back stretch: Stand up straight and hold one wrist behind your back with the other hand. Gently pull on the arm until you feel the stretch, and tilt your head toward the side of the pulling hand. Hold for 5 seconds, then release. Repeat 3 to 5 times.
- Tilts: Slowly tilt your head forward and back, then from one side to the other. Do 10 repetitions in each direction.
- Shoulder rolls: Roll your shoulders while you keep your arms relaxed, 3 to 5 times in each direction.
Stretch gently, and stop if an exercise hurts. If the pain does not go away, see a doctor.
General tips
Above all, one habit matters most: take breaks.
Take breaks during an intense writing session, and between sessions. Give your wrists, your fingers, and your mind some time to relax. It also helps to spread your writing over several short sessions a day rather than one long one; see how to make time to write for ideas. Sure, you want to finish this paper or get this chapter out of your system, but your body will thank you for it.
Here are a few more tips for your next long writing project or assignment:
- If you write with a pen, hold it loosely and don't press it down hard on the paper.
- Keep your wrists, arms, and shoulders relaxed.
- Keep your wrists in a neutral position, straight rather than bent.
- If you type, don't hammer on the keys. It is better for your fingers, and for your keyboard.