The effect of arm exercise and ocular massage on postural hand tremor.

In this pilot study, the effect of exertion on hand tremor was investigated. Postural head tremor was measured in eight ophthalmology residents before and after lifting a barbell and before and after massaging a phantom eye. All subjects showed an increase in postural hand tremor after lifting a barbell for five minutes (mean, 79% +/- 59%). Postural hand tremor increased 38% +/- 79% after ocular massage, which was not statistically significant (P greater than .5). The peak pressures generated during ocular massage ranged from 25 to 265 mmHg (mean, 134 +/- 80.4 mmHg). There was also no correlation between change in postural hand tremor and the pressure generated by ocular massage (P greater than .2). The authors conclude that strenuous arm exercise, such as lifting a barbell, increases postural hand tremor and should be avoided before doing microsurgery; ocular massage is not sufficient exercise to affect postural hand tremor adversely.