Dexterity issues, such as the loss or underdevelopment of fine motor skills, affect a large portion of the population. In fact, about 6% of school-aged kids have motor difficulties that negatively impact their development and their progress in school. What’s more, about 7% of working-age adults have severe dexterity issues and about 50% of people over 70 struggle with tasks that require manual dexterity. 

In this article, Ability Central addresses the most significant questions about dexterity issues, including:

• What is dexterity?
• What causes dexterity limitations?
• What role does dexterity play in childhood development?
• What are the early signs and symptoms of dexterity issues like a fine motor skills deficit?
• How do dexterity issues affect adults?
• How do dexterity difficulties impact communication?
• What are the treatment options for dexterity problems?
• Where can I find help for dexterity concerns?

What is dexterity?

Dexterity, also known as fine motor coordination, is the ability to perform delicate hand manipulations. When a person loses or does not develop fine motor coordination, this can be called poor hand dexterity. Good dexterity requires all of the following:

• Steadiness
• Muscle control
• Discrete muscle movements, like independently moving each finger

Fine motor disability is an inability or impairment of a person to perform fine motor skills requiring manual dexterity.

What causes dexterity limitations?

Dexterity limitations can appear at any time but are most common in young children and seniors.

Mobility or dexterity impairments may come from congenital conditions, missing or deformed limbs, spinal injury, or neuromuscular disorders. Diagnoses that may lead to dexterity impairments include:

• Arthritis
• Cerebral palsy
• Muscular dystrophy
• Multiple sclerosis
• Stroke

Sometimes, the loss of manual dexterity can be linked to an underlying condition. With treatment of that condition, fine motor skills may improve. In other cases, dexterity problems are simply a natural part of old age. 

Conditions that impact dexterity most often in seniors include:  

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Cubital tunnel syndrome
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Osteoporosis
• Parkinson’s disease

What role does dexterity play in childhood development?

To understand dexterity limitations in children, we must also understand a child’s typical motor development, or their ability to use and control their muscles, joints, and limbs. Motor development is often broadly divided into gross motor skills and fine motor skills. 

Gross motor development requires controlling the muscles of the body for large movements such as crawling, walking, jumping, and running. If a pediatrician sees gross motor skills falling behind, a physical therapist may help the child with walking, mobility, and posture. 

Dexterity is considered a fine motor skill, including things like holding a pencil, using scissors, or tying one’s shoes. Pediatricians follow children’s fine motor development closely and track milestones by age-appropriate behaviors. 

If a parent or pediatrician notices fine motor skill delays, the next step might be a referral to an occupational therapist or physical therapist. Kids can use educational play to strengthen their fine motor skills, like finger painting, turning pages of books, or building with blocks. 

Depending on the underlying cause, fine motor skills problems may go away with age, appropriate physical and occupational therapies, and increased activity. 

What are the early signs and symptoms of dexterity issues like a fine motor skills deficit?

Before age two, children with fine motor skills deficits may have any of the following physical impairments:

• Lack of interest in grasping objects
• Difficulty sitting up or raising their head
• Difficulty or inability to crawl, stand, or walk

After age two, the physical dexterity issues become more apparent and may include:

• Difficulty throwing a ball
• Difficulty holding a writing tool
• Trouble with buttons and zippers

If a child reaches dexterity milestones late, or doesn’t reach them at all, ask your pediatrician about testing for fine motor skills deficits.

How do dexterity issues affect adults?

Adults who lose fine motor skills like dexterity may have difficulty with:

• Picking things up
• Hold an item for an extended period of time
• Writing
• Fastening buttons on clothing
• Controlling eating utensils

Well-functioning hands and fingers are associated with strong executive function. Executive functions include the mental skills of flexible thinking, self-control, and working memory. In fact, poor dexterity in seniors may indicate a higher risk of memory impairment.

How do dexterity difficulties impact communication?

Many forms of communication take place online nowadays. Dialing a phone number, texting, using apps, and posting on social media can all be difficult with the loss of fine motor skills. In addition, we need our fine motor skills to write, draw, and use a mouse and keyboard. 

Furthermore, many underlying conditions that cause dexterity issues also come with side effects like tremors or involuntary tics. These can be frustrating or embarrassing in social situations and can also lead to discrimination in school or the workplace.

What are the treatment options for dexterity problems?

Senior Lifestyles offers ten ways seniors can improve their dexterity. These include:

• Performing finger lifts.
• Sorting small items.
• Utilizing clay or putty.
• Playing a musical instrument.
• Practicing handwriting.
• Playing string games.
• Making a fist repeatedly.
• Learning a craft like origami.
• Knitting, sewing, or embroidery. 
• Working with tactile tools like lock and latches boards.

In addition, Health Care Journey offers suggestions, including playing the piano, stacking pennies, and pinching clothespins. 

In some cases, your doctor might refer you to an occupational therapist. An occupational therapist is a healthcare provider who helps people improve their ability to perform daily tasks. 

Many technology-based therapies can be expensive, but the last decade has brought a stream of affordable options to people’s fingertips. A cell phone designed for dexterity issues can help maintain and improve fine motor skills through specialty apps while also making communication simpler through speech-to-text capability. 

Where can I find help for dexterity concerns?

Ability Central has a searchable database of non-profits that can help with everything from diagnosis to treatment of dexterity and related conditions.

For more information on health conditions that may cause dexterity deficits, see:

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Quick Facts: 6 Things to Know
• Do I Have Parkinson's Disease? PD Symptoms and Warning Signs
• How To Recognize Symptoms of Tourette’s Syndrome