Writers Bump, anyone?

[flomade]

Hi!
I've been practicing every day for the past few months (starts in mid january). I've used an oblique and a straight pen. I'm right handed, but like how the straight pen feels best. I've been growing this writers bump, and took a three day break from writing while on a short visit to family. Now after 3 days back at practice, it looks like this 
Any advice? It hurts when I write, you can see the pressure point from my pen. I just got a straight pen with cork at the end and it feels really good, but will this bump go away?

[garyn]

Lighten your grip on the pen.
I had that in college when I used to grip the pen TIGHT.  Now that I use a light grip, no more bump.

[evjo]

Could it be a ganglion?  I had one in college & the doctors told me to hit it with a Bible.  I am not kidding.
We did hit it with a book and it went away.  Spooky.

[AussieCalligrapherAlex]

probably just a blister or inflamed callus, either will dull down after a while, maybe cut your practice time in half and lighten up your grip. I have these all over my hands and they hurt at first but they go down to a piece of tough skin and you almost can't hurt it. If it is a callus that is.

[Jamie]

What you have pictured definitely looks like a blister, especially when you say it's painful as everyone else says, and that will go away eventually. You may want to put a band-aid on it though, that should help with the pain if you want to keep practicing in the mean time.

I have permanent calloused bumps on two of my right fingers, and they don't stand out as much as what's pictured. I'd only have one, but for the first half of my life I wrote with a weird grip, and that created the first one (which has lessened but never gone away because sometimes I still switch back to that grip), and then I switched to a more normal grip and that's where the second one has come from. So if you keep writing regularly you may end up with a callous bump that'll never go away.

[Ken Fraser]

Ah, the curse of the "writer's bump". As garyn says, this is simply the result of gripping the pen too tightly for too long. Concentrating on the adjustment of the hand hold, should do the trick. Certainly, it shouldn't be necessary to suffer, to be able to write!

Have a look at this thread concerning handhold - it might help.

http://theflourishforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=4381.msg56497#msg56497

With a light handhold, I can write for hours without cramping, and I have no third finger callous.

[flomade]

This will help a great deal, I'm sure! Thank you so much!

[Estrella]

I used to get the writer's bump quite often, since I have always enjoyed writing! But not since starting calligraphy - I just realized this - because I have lightened my grip, even when doing regular writing. 

[Moya]

Estrella, I just realised the same thing. I used to have a permanent bump on my right hand when I was in university, but since settling into calligraphy as a lifestyle instead of a hobby ... gone. I guess I just don't grip tight any more. Wow.

(Of course, I was at uni long enough ago that we took all our notes with pen and paper, so maybe I just don't write as copiously as I used to!)

[AndyT]

Hmm - I have a bump in the same place, but it's a coincidental arthritic one.  Painful when it first appeared, but no trouble now.  Family history suggests that I have more of them to look forward to, alas.

[jeanwilson]

Another problem with the death grip is that you can create some severe problems in your thumb, wrist, elbow, shoulder, neck, or back. The war-stories that you hear from the old-timers should inspire you to lighten up. My personal war-story is that I developed a tennis elbow and had to completely stop writing for several weeks and wait for it to heal. Ever since then, if I am not careful, it will flare up.

There is another thread with many tips about how to be kind to your body whilst spending hours on your penmanship.
I will add this comment to that thread - and newcomers will benefit from reading through all the tips and warnings. To those who say --- I don't care, I'm not going to follow the advice --- good luck. As a 64 year old, there are so many youthful decisions that would have been different if I could have felt what was going to happen.

[Scarlet Blue]

I have had one on my writing finger since I took my O Levels. Doesn't hurt at all. I also have one on my thumb from the saxophone rest.... and I haven't played for about a year.... but that's never hurt either. I just put it down to rubbing :-)

[flomade]

Thank you all so much for taking the time to reply! I've switched pens and also made a concerted effort to relax my grip. Both have helped a great deal.The bump no longer hurts, is smaller, and is starting to feel more like a callous. Huzzah!

[flomade]

Could it be a ganglion?  I had one in college & the doctors told me to hit it with a Bible.  I am not kidding.
We did hit it with a book and it went away.  Spooky.

This made me laugh out loud! I've wondered if it was a ganglion cyst, too, but am Not willing to hit it with a book! 

[flomade]

probably just a blister or inflamed callus, either will dull down after a while, maybe cut your practice time in half and lighten up your grip. I have these all over my hands and they hurt at first but they go down to a piece of tough skin and you almost can't hurt it. If it is a callus that is.

I think you're right. Since I first posted this it has lessened in size and doesn't really hurt anymore! I've changed my grip and got a different pen and I think both are helping.