Writer's Bump Headed for Extinction

Posted on May 21, 2005

Writer's bumps are headed for extinction. You know, that callus that forms on the third finger of the hand in which you tightly grip a pen or pencil? With the advent of computers, people are writing less and less. Writers and teachers are losing their bumps. The Arizona Republic reports:

"We're not seeing a lot of writer's bumps because of the advent of computers and PDAs," said Dr. Scott Herron, an orthopedic specialist in southern California. "It's not a common complaint in our office in 2005. We haven't seen any this year."

The medical definition of the ailment is an "increased friction phenomenon," due to prolonged pressure on the skin. In response to the irritation, the skin thickens and a callus develops. People who use particularly thin pens or pencils have to grasp the implement more tightly and thus are more prone to forming lumps.

There may be decreased friction phenomena for writers, perhaps leading to lovlier-looking hands. But have you noticed the handwriting of people who usually write on the computer? It's not pretty.

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