https://www.reddit.com/r/southpaws/comments/1j66ael/forced_left_handed/
created by Animal-Lady on 08/03/2025 at 01:47 UTC
8 upvotes, 11 top-level comments (showing 11)
Hello, I’m currently dealing with extreme pain and likely a permanent disability in my right hand/arm. I know how to do some very basic things left handed but I’d like to learn how to do more to allow my right to rest. Any suggestions on how to better the use of my left hand? Was honestly thinking of getting those children’s hand writing books to get started.
Comment by thearctican at 08/03/2025 at 02:32 UTC
8 upvotes, 0 direct replies
It’s super easy, you can do it while watching tv or reading. Really at any idle time. I doubt you have strength issues, just dexterity.
Comment by SurferGurl at 08/03/2025 at 06:35 UTC
6 upvotes, 0 direct replies
i'm a lefty and broke my left wrist in a car accident a few years back. i have a metal plate and some screws holding things in place on the palm side of my wrist. when i got the cast off i had severely limited mobility, a lot of pain, and couldn't write for a damn. i went through 12 weeks of physical therapy.
there were a few things that really helped me. the therapist would fill a big plastic bowl with dried beans and throw various and sundry small things in -- washers, marbles, paper clips, whatever -- and i'd have to fish them out.
putting a jigsaw puzzle together using my left hand -- it really helped with rebuilding my fine motor skills. coloring books also helped with that. i started with kids coloring books because i couldn't even stay within the lines, and then progressed to more detailed adult coloring books using pencils.
maybe such things might help.
Comment by TrappedUnderCats at 08/03/2025 at 03:30 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Basic things that might be helpful are left handed scissors, can opener and a vegetable peeler (if you don’t already have one that can be used in either hand). I also have left handed notebooks and rulers but it will depend on how much you use stuff like that. You can change your computer settings to use your mouse left handed but that will take some time to retrain your brain. Otherwise, it’s just a question of getting used to doing things the other way and slowly realising how much the world is set up for right handers.
Comment by it00 at 08/03/2025 at 08:58 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I'm in the same situation but mirrored - normally very left handed.
Shattered my left elbow at the start of January - reconstruction and plating went well but I'm now having to use my right hand for a whole load of stuff I'm not used to.
Writing - forget it IMHO. Unless your condition is permanent there is little point learning effectively from scratch. I don't write much anymore anyway. The few times I do it will be in almost childlike writing in the meantime. No difference to you learning from scratch.
Strength building using foam / exercise balls improves strength and dexterity a lot. This is helping meantime - particularly to overcompensate for the lack of strength in my left arm.
Co-ordination and precision is difficult and not something I'm hopeful of improving in the short term. Operating tools or machinery like drills, saws or a hammer with my right hand is laughable. I'm not sure there is any simple solution to this.
It won't be permanent hopefully - but adapting in the last few months has been painful (literally).
Comment by i-am-pepesilvia89 at 08/03/2025 at 04:33 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
My uncle had to go temporarily lefty when he almost chopped his right hand off while sticking his hand into my dads boat fan while it was running ( he was drinking all day) he tried similar advice listed here and d it worked while he healed. Good luck to you
Comment by AlphaRebus at 08/03/2025 at 03:50 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Welcome to the club, I guess?
Comment by dcheesi at 08/03/2025 at 12:50 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
People still write with their hands? (/s ...but not really)
If you use a computer for work or ...anything, really, then leftie mousing is a must. Despite being a leftie myself, I learned to mouse right-handed (in a computer lab), and had to teach myself how to mouse leftie. It took a while, and some trial & error (I finally settled on *not* swapping the mouse buttons, but YMMV), but it finally "clicked" (no pun).
Comment by yankonapc at 08/03/2025 at 14:36 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
You might as well start the way kids start. Get some rubber triangular pencil grips to help you build up strength and habits in a good way. Use low-viscocity ink or soft artist's pencils--pens are designed to be dragged, not pushed, so you may find that your ordinary pens clog and catch on the paper. I like Paper-Mate InkJoy for this reason, but there's a lot of options out there now. Zebra is also good. A nice chunky pen, not too heavy, with a silicone grip to help your hand not slide down is key--fighting the slide leads to fatigue, hand cramp and forearm pain.
If you have smallish hands Stabilo's Easy range for kids is great. The diameter and shape are really ergonomic even for adults, but the length may be a problem if your palms are quite wide or your fingere are very long.
Comment by SRF01 at 08/03/2025 at 21:45 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I find for me, the less i think and concentrate on it, the easier it is. Just pick up a pencil and start printing. Don't think about how to hold it or move it, nothing. Just start. Your brain already knows the shapes or the movements you're going to do. So just let it take over.
Oh, and remember that it takes practice. You didn't learn all these things overnight. It took time.
Comment by phigene at 08/03/2025 at 03:01 UTC
4 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Not sure why you think we would know the answer to this. A lefty would be in the exact same situation if they were forced to use their right.
Comment by bumsaplenty at 08/03/2025 at 22:35 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Literally found this post just now as a leftie looking for instructions on how to write with my right hand for similar reasons. I'm going to follow the comments very closely.