Inverted hand posture is when the hand is above the line of writing, which in turn stops smudging of what has already been written. The inverted hand posture can be a trait of both left or right handers, but it seems to be more prevalent in left-handers. To the outsider, it can look like the person is writing upside-down.
I write with the inverted hand posture myself. As a child, my teachers would often try to correct the way I wrote. It's OK for a child to write like this, as long as it feels comfortable for them. A person will write in a way that feels most natural to them. It may look awkward to other people, but to the person writing, it is as natural as breathing!
The downside to the inverted hand posture way of writing is:
- Shiny birthday cards (I also start writing from the bottom upwards so as not to smudge any words)
- Old-fashioned cheque books (not so much of an issue nowadays)
- Writing on whiteboards
- Digital signing on phones (ie, receiving a courier package)
- Writing in ring binders/folders where the rings are right where your arm should be!
Whilst writing in the inverted hand posture is not a totally bad way of writing, it can be corrected at a very early age should you wish to do so. There are writing aids available that can correct the position of the hand when writing. If you'd like to know more about these, view the Handiwriter writing aids on www.eliteleft.com
Final comment - some famous inverted hand writers:
- Prince William
- Barack Obama
- Keanu Reeves
- Bruce Willis