Pencil Pressure

Proprioception and Handwriting

The proprioceptive system receives input from the muscles and joints about body position, weight, pressure, stretch, movement and changes in position in space.  Our bodies are able to grade and coordinate movements based on the way muscles move, stretch, and contract. Proprioception allows us to apply more or less pressure and force in a task. Instinctively, we know that lifting a feather requires very little pressure and effort, while moving a large backpack requires more work.  We are able to coordinate our movements effectively to manage our day’s activities with the proprioceptive system.  The brain also must coordinate input about gravity, movement, and balance involving the vestibular system.

When we write, the pencil is held with the index finger, middle finger, and thumb, and supported by the ring and pinkie finger as the hand moves across a page.  A functioning proprioceptive system allows us to move the small muscles of the hand to move the pencil in fluid movements and with “just right” pressure.  We are able to mark lines on the paper, erase mistakes, move the paper with our supporting arm, turn pages in a notebook fluidly, and keep the paper in one piece.

Sometimes, children hold their pencil very tightly.  They press so hard on the paper, that lines are very dark when writing.  The pencil point breaks.  When erasing, the pencil marks don’t completely erase, and the paper is torn.  The non-dominant, assisting hand moves the paper so roughly that the paper crumbles.  When turning pages in a notebook, the pages tear or crumble.  Movements are not fluid or efficient.  Handwriting takes so much effort, that the child becomes fatigued, frustrated, and sore.  It may take so much effort to write a single word, that handwriting is slow and difficult.

Writing Tips for Pencil Pressure

Proprioceptive activities allow the muscles to “wake up” with heavy pressure. Moving against resistance by pushing or pulling gives the muscles and joints an opportunity to modulate pressure.  Resistive activities before and during a handwriting task can be beneficial for children who press hard on the pencil.

Pencil Pressure Activities

Some of these pencil pressure activities are writing strategies to help kids become more aware of the amount of pressure they are using when writing. Others are tools for helping the hands with sensory needs. Still others are tools for strengthening the hands. Try some or a mixture of the following ideas to addressing handwriting needs.

• Stress balls or fidget toys can help to strengthen pinch and grip strength.

• Use carbon paper or transfer paper to help kids become more aware of the amount of pressure they are exerting through the pencil when writing.

• Stretching resistive bands

• Theraputty with graded amount of resistance. Can also use clay.

• Hole puncher exercises before a writing task

• Gross grasp activities: squeeze bottles, - These activities can be a big help in adjusting the grasp on the pencil, helping the hands with sensory input and strengthening the hands to help with endurance when writing.

• Write with a mechanical pencil: The lead will break if too much pressure is applied. Children can learn to monitor the amount of pressure used and it will provide feedback on modulation of pressure. A pencil with .7mm lead is better to start with for heavy writers. Read more about using a mechanical pencil for kids who write too dark or too light.

• Pencil Weights or Weighted Pencils- Weighted pencils can be helpful in providing sensory feedback through the hands.

• Practice letter formation and pencil pressure by lacing a sheet of paper over a foam computer mouse pad. If prssing too hard, the pencil point will poke through the paper. 

• A vibrating pen provides sensory feedback to the fingers and hand and helps to keep children focused on the task. 

• Practice handwriting by placing a sheet of paper over a piece of sandpaper. The resistance of the sandpaper is great heavy work for small muscles of the hand.

• Practice Ghost Writing: Encourage the child to write very lightly on paper and then erase the words without leaving any marks. The adult can try to read the words after they’ve been erased. If the words are not able to be read, the writer wins the game.

• Hand exercises are a great way to “wake up” the hands before a handwriting task. Encourage the child to squeeze their hand into a fist as tight as he can. Then relax and stretch the hand and fingers. Repeat the exercise several times. Practice holding the pencil with the same type of tight and relaxed exercises. Practice writing on tissue paper. A very light hand is needed to prevent tears. Discuss the amount of pressure needed for writing on the tissue paper. 

• This will provide the child with awareness and words for the way they are holding the pencil.

• Provide terms for they way they write. Encourage “just right” writing and not “too hard” or “too soft” marks.

• Use a lead pencil to color in a small picture, using light gray, medium gray, and dark gray. Talk about how using different amounts of pressure changes the shade of gray.