Idioms

writer's cramp

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writer's cramp

A cramp in one's hand that arises from gripping a pen or pencil too tightly or for too long at a time. I started getting writer's cramp about two hours into the exam. She was taking notes so fastidiously during class that I worried she'd end up with writer's cramp.
See also: cramp
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

writer's cramp

A painful spasm in the hand that restricts the ability to use a pen or pencil. Back in the Paleozoic Era when people wrote by hand instead of typewriters and then computers (you youngsters can ask your parents or grandparents if you don't believe me), excessive use of a pen or pencil would cause a person's hand to tense up or go into a spasm that made further writing painful or impossible or both. The condition wasn't called “repetitive stress syndrome” back then. It was “writer's cramp,” and that was no excuse for the schoolroom punishment of being made to write “I will not talk in class” one hundred times on the blackboard.
See also: cramp
Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price Copyright © 2011 by Steven D. Price
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References in periodicals archive
Knutzen et al., "How to assess motor impairment in writer's cramp," Movement Disorders, vol.
Testing rTMS-Induced Neuroplasticity: A Single Case Study of Focal Hand Dystonia
Although the volunteers with writer's cramp experienced symptoms only in the right hand and arm, their PET scans revealed reduced blood flow in the sensorimotor cortex on both sides of the brain.
Writer's cramp: literally in your head
Subthreshold lowfrequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation over the premotor cortex modulates writer's cramp. Brain 2005; 128:104-15.
Treatment of writer's cramp with botulinum toxin type A/Yazici krampinin a tipi botulinum toksini ile tedavisi
DAVE Jones expects to get writer's cramp if Wolves make it to the Premiership.
Football: JONES GIVES CRITICS WRITE ANSWER; WOLVES 2 GILLINGHAM 0
The guy who pens Owen's scripts must have writer's cramp. His story has more chapters than The Lord of The Rings.
Football: WELL DONE MY TON!; West Ham 1 Liverpool 1 Owen goal of the century is heartbreak for Hammers
We expect policemen to be out collaring criminals and not getting writer's cramp. '
Move to rid police of red tape and writer's cramp
I got writer's cramp and eye strain from doing it so long.
The home-work 'rip-off' which leaves the poor out of pocket; `The whole thing knocked me for six. What makes things worse is the fact that it is the people who can least afford it who get caught out by these scams'
Visits to Scunthorpe and Preston resulted in writer's cramp for indemand Toon players signing autographs, with their presence in some of football's backwaters and outposts on par with the arrival of the Harlem Globetrotters.
Barns-storming Toon on the up; Key moment Undoubtedly the red card for keeper Steele at the end of the first half
PHIL MICKELSON somehow keeps on smiling and almost gets writer's cramp as he remains a crowd favourite with the number of autographs he signs.
LEFTY ON THE SIDELINES; US GOLF LATEST ...: Mickelson still trailing inTiger's wake
The players were never in danger of suffering writer's cramp from autograph hunters when they modelled the banana-striped outfit at St James' Park in a desperate bid to drum up sales.
FANS SNUB ST JIMJAMS' PARK
Another role that changed his dad's opinion was when Alex teamed up with Scots actors John Bett and Bill Paterson for a stage tour of Writer's Cramp.
COVER STORY: Why I can't return to this mean city.. Taggar t star Alex Nor ton puts his family first
Just press the top of the pen against your neck or shoulders and the pen vibrates away the aches in a very soothing way - especially good for writer's cramp.
Tried and tested
I've seen Beckham, the Neville brothers, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Andy Cole on England duty, only too willing to sign scraps of paper until their arms seize with writer's cramp as well as posing for precious snapshots, smiles firmly clamped in place.
Voice of People Sport: United in their own sad little world
My brother lives abroad and has writer's cramp. He has seen a doctor who suggested he might benefit from something called a Botox injection.
Health: Dear Doctor; Dr Mark Porter Answers Your Questions With Practical Advice On Everything From How To Cure Writer's Cramp To The Risk Of Repeat Heart Attacks
A common type of temporary dystonia is writer's cramp while another more severe form accompanies Parkinson's Disease.
New cramp therapy puts pianists back on platform
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