Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group AS and Fine Motor Skills

Hi Everyone

By use of diet, exercise and supplements over the last 2 years I have been able to reduce my symptoms to a minimal level but it varies. I play croquet regularly but I am quite inconsistent in my level of play. For those unfamiliar with croquet it has many similarities, at least from a psychological view-point, with golf. I am unsure whether my inconsistency is simply a mental problem, unrelated to AS, or whether it is, initially at least, caused by AS affecting my fine motor skills. There are days which I feel completely on top of my game and others when, from my first practice swing, nothing feels right. Of course even if it starts as a physical problem, like most amateurs, once I lose my confidence it becomes a mental problem as well.

Just last Saturday my symptoms, particularly my hands, were the worst they had been for some months in the morning, but following my regular 40 minutes stretches / exercises and a cold shower I was basically symptom free. I played croquet later in the morning and my game completely fell to pieces that day although I had been playing quite well prior to that. My gut feeling is that my AS condition affects my "feel" and "touch" even though my body seems to be functioning normally.

I am wondering if anyone has had a similar experience with AS affecting fine motor skills.

Wally

Hi Wally,
hello fellow west aussie!
Well, I know my fine motor skills are affected by my swollen wrists, which causes carpal tunnel which compresses nerves and affects my fingers. My rheummie explained all this, I notice that I have trouble getting the right coins for change from my purse and I am very clumsy generally with my hands. Have you any swelling in your hands?

Welcome to KA - this is a wonderful website with much information and a fantastic bunch of supportive people. Hope you can hang around and benefit from it like I do.

Take care and cheers from Debra.

Hi Debra

Thanks for your response. No, I don't have any problem with swelling in the hands. The worst I get now in my hands is the joints in one or two of my fingers won't straighten. But when I physically move them with my other hand they improve. As I said, after my morning routine I really feel as though I am symptom free. What I am describing is subtle. On bad days I feel as though my body is OK but from the first time I swing the mallet there is something different. If nobody on this site can describe something similar I will begin to believe it really is all in my head.

Wally

Hi Wally,

Your question intrigued me a bit since I'd recently heard something on the news that may (or not) be related. In my own past experience, I've never had any difficulty with fine motors skills, except a general clumsiness when pain makes it hard to mentally focus, or gets to a point where I'm not functioning well at all. I've worked as an artist with bad AS for 20 yrs without a problem such as you describe, and so my first reaction was to think nope, not related.

However, what struck me is that you describe your pain levels as minimal though mention having some AS hand/wrist involvement. But it was the mention of croquet being similar to golf that reminded me of a recent news story which speaks of the yips as something they're starting to believe may be more physical than psychological... so I looked it up.

“These results lend support to our theory that there is a continuum of causes for the “yips” within two main categories, ranging from performance anxiety, or ‘choking,’ to a focal dystonia,” says Dr. Smith. A dystonia is a neurologic disorder, often described as an occupational cramp, characterized by involuntary movements such as spasms of a body part. It may be related to overuse.

I guess nerve symptoms wouldn't be a huge stretch of the imagination as something that might be related to AS. Most who describe nerve symptoms seem to have some degree of fusion at the root of it, so it may be an unrelated ailment, too. Probably worth discussing with your doc.

Full article is here:Mayo Clinic

Take care,
mig

Hi there, I have noticed something like what you speak of in my life. I have times in my dance class (and in other areas, but I notice it more in class) when I become unaware of what my body is doing. It's not that I'm not focussed, I just can't feel it.

I do glass painting as well, and I do find that I can only do the faux leading a little bit at a time, as it comes in a tube and my fingers start to spasm if I do it for too long.

So, kind of related to what you're talking about, I think.

Hugs,

Hi Wally,

It's a weird coincidence that you are asking this question...

I work at Tim Hortons, as a manager, so I don't usually do too much work on the cash register as a norm. However, this week I have been working on the window at the drive thru, taking the customer's money. I currently do not have any pain in my hands, or wrists, and never have, but I noticed that I could not hang on to any of the money (coins) I was supposed to be giving back to the customer. I must have dropped about $10 out the window! I'm not usually clumsy, so this had me wondering if it was connected to my AS. Actually right now as I am typing this, my fingers feel as if they are reacting very slowly, and feel somewhat swollen when I bend them, but there is no pain. Hmmmm, makes me wonder.

I don't know if this helps you any, but good luck with the croquet!

Tracy

I think I know what you mean- I paint and make models and I`ve noticed a bit of clumsiness sometimes, and trouble with concentration. Could be the Arcoxia, not sure, but I`m certainly not as dexterous, if that`s right word, as I used to be. Also if I`ve been drawing for a long time I do find that my fingers can `lock` like a kind of crampy feeling.
Not much help as I don`t know what you can do about it, but I know what you mean!

Wally, I would say from the sheer gross numbers of little tiny pierced earrings I've dropped down the bathroom sink drain over the years that yes, it does affect one's fine motor skills.

That and how the eyeliner goes on. I just think Oh ****, going to be one of "those" days.

Wally -

Welcome to KA! One of my first symptoms was a problem holding on to things. I remember telling my husband that I thought I might have had a stroke and didn't know it. I was dropping everything, and all the time. It seemed my grip was extremly weak. I do have problems with swelling in my fingers and wrist as well.

Hope everyone else can share some information with you. This is a great place.

Take care,

Hi Mig

Yes the "yips" are probably part of the explanation. I know I do have them and have read many articles on the subject when browsing the web. The pressure on some croquet shots is perhaps greater than that of a golfer as croquet has 'breaks' similar to snooker or pool. Against a good player one bad stroke may effectively mean the end of the game as your break ends and an easy opportunity may be open to your opponent.

Initially I thought this was the total explanation - it was all in my head. But as I observed the condition, over years now, the "yips" didn't explain everything. If it was only the "yips" then it would happen on big occasions in important tournaments against the best opposition. But it didn't always happen that way. I would often play well against a good opponent and badly against a weak one. It didn't explain why I would feel different on some days from the first practice swing I took. The connection with AS became more likely, in my mind, after my last experience which I described in my original post. My worst play for some months, against only a mediocre opponent in just a social game, followed my worst AS morning.

When I first was diagnosed over 2 years ago now I was very sensitive to diet. After 2 years on NSD I am no longer so sensitive and have been off NSAIDs for a year. Because I am less diet sensitive I have begun recently to relax, eating more carbs and sweet fruit, as if I never had a problem. I am hoping now that if I tighten up again I will have fewer bad days.

As for consulting a doctor on AS related matters, since they believe in NSAIDs and not NSD I have lost confidence in them. Croquet aside, I feel I'm doing pretty well on my own. If I followed my doctor's advice I'd still be on NSAIDs and probably have a stomach ulcer by now.

Wally