What Can I Do to Improve My Handwriting?
It's Getting Smaller and Smaller
By Bill Stamey, M.D.

According to Bill Stamey, MD, micrographia (the small handwriting seen in PD) abates to some extent when the person writes with eyes closed. Breaking the old paradigm and forcing a new way to write is a way of developing new neural pathways. This is based on a study completed at Baylor College of Medicine, TX by William G. Ondo, MD and Pankaj Satija, MD. Here are more tips for increasing the size of your handwriting received from Tami DeAngelis, PT, GCS, Coordinator at the APDA National Rehab Resource Center at Boston University.

Practice the Following Corodination Exercises

1. Lay a piece of paper flat on a table. Crumple it up into a wad with one hand. Using only that same hand, place the wad on the table and smooth out the wrinkles until the paper is flat again. (If this is too hard, start with a tissue or a paper towel.)

2. Turn your palm up so it is facing the ceiling. Take a pencil and rotate it around with your fingertips so that the pencil turns 360 degrees. Go in both directions. When this gets easy, do the same thing with a tennis or golf ball or any object you can grasp and rotate.

3. Squeeze a stress ball. You can also pinch the ball with your index finger and thumb, then your middle finger and thumb, and then your ring finger and thumb.

Engage in Activities That Involve Challenging Finger Movements

1. Play a musical instrument.

2. Work on a computer.

3. Play cards, do crafts, knead bread or decorate cookies.

Practice Writing Every Day Instead of Avoiding Writing

1. Think about writing BIG.

2. Cue yourself to write with large letters. Focusing your attention on writing big often helps you to write big.

3. Stop writing once you notice your words are beginning to get small. Lift your pen off of the paper and then resume writing. It might take longer to write but you may find that those breaks help you to avoid writing in small letters.

4. Try using different pens and see what works best for you. Many people with Parkinson's disease report that a felt tip pen is easiest to use.

Change Something About the Environment

1. When you write, sit in a comfortable chair with your back supported and your feet flat on the ground.

2. Clear away clutter from the surface you are writing on and try to relax and be calm.

3. Use lined paper to write on. The lines serve as a cue to help you write bigger.

4. Use a cardboard template as a guide to tell you how large you letters should be.

5. Use a large grip pen or put a foam grip on your writing utensil to make it easier to manipulate.

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