That pesky right handed thing

When brain injury disables your subdominant side, you have a decision to make. Allow you dominant side to dominate, or buy in to bilateralism? By Billy Mann

This post coincides roughly with the follow-up consultancy appointment at Dr N Ward's Upper Limb clinic at NHNN in Queen Square. In the time since finishing the 3-week intensive Upper Limb Bootcamp in January I have noticed that one problem with turning routines into habits is that the process is made easier if they can be absorbed into existing procedures. I can add shoulder-blade strengthening exercises to my existing gym routine. Ditto ball bouncing while walking. But other routines, especially the ones that targeted the use of my left hand such as carrying water glasses, eating and typing are hindered by the fact that I am right handed and my dominant side naturally will always prevail over the subdominant left side. This means that special measures need to operate if I am to cultivate a more balanced use of both limbs. I have to choose deliberately to drink one cup of tea per day left-handed, or to set aside time for typing exercises. This makes habit forming a lot more difficult and noticeable improvements a lot slower. 

Still, as I discovered just this morning while emptying the dishwasher with my left hand only, just after repositioning the kettle to preclude the overuse of my right hand, it is worth the effort. I only have to look at my improved typing (both hands and many fingers now) to know that. Another thing I have just noticed is that I can make progress in tea drinking by grasping the cup with my left hand rather than trying to fine motor it using two fingers and the handle, upon which my hand begins to shake, with potentially dire consequences.