Occupational therapist addresses Taylor Swift’s unusual ‘grasp’
Topics: Taylor Swift, Health, TikTok
Lauren Lees
Featured Image Credit: Gareth Cattermole/TAS24 / Contributor / via Getty
Topics: Taylor Swift, Health, TikTok
Taylor Swift fans may think they know absolutely everything about their idol - but an expert has clocked a tiny detail in one of her music videos that reveals an unusual quirk.
The mega-star, worth a staggering $1.6 billion (£1.2bn), is generally winning in all areas of life, what with her recent record-breaking tour, new Disney+ series and upcoming wedding to Travis Kelce.
And now it's emerged that even the way she holds her pen is superior to us mere mortals, even if it does look a bit odd.
If you’ve not seen it before, Swift has often been photographed holding her pen between her middle and forefingers by her knuckles, balancing it in a very unique way.
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Occupational therapist Haley Kelly went viral on Instagram recently after explaining why she might do this.
She said: “Watching her write in her 'Anti-Hero' music video, you can see her adapted grasp.
"This prompted me to look up videos of her signing autographs for fans on Instagram and TikTok.”
She said that it is what occupational therapists call an adapted tripod grasp: “The adapted tripod grasp, which I would like to rename the 'Taylor Swift grasp', is an excellent and functional choice for handwriting.
"Holding the pencil between these two fingers distributes the pressure more evenly across the joints. This grasp is ideal for endurance, as it reduces hand cramping and fatigue.”
As you can expect, Taylor has to sign thousands of CDs, records, posters, and likely various body parts, so this grasp really works for these tasks and would be less painful than the standard grip over time.
Therefore, it’s likely that this is something that was taught to Taylor as she became more famous, and over time it’s become second nature.
Though it looks unusual, Haley said it is functional and learnable, though tricky to master.
“Learning a new grasp is hard but doable,” she said. “I have recommended this to patients with low tone, arthritis, or tremors, as the stability and comfort can benefit these populations.”
The expert notes the importance of not correcting a grasp which can be healthier and beneficial for some people.
She said: “Just because a grasp is different than normal does not mean it’s not functional, the 'Taylor Swift grasp' is not something that needs to be corrected - it’s actually quite beneficial for some people.
"I can’t help but notice the way people hold their pens and pencils, when we see alternative grasps, especially in children, people are quick to correct.”