Thumb twiddling


Thumb twiddling is an activity that is done with the hands of an individual whereby the fingers are interlocked and the thumbs circle around a common point, usually in the middle of the distance between the two thumbs.
While it is an expression of at least a moderate amount of manual dexterity, thumb twiddling is frequently used as an example of a useless, time-wasting activity.

Reasons

Thumb twiddling is considered to be one of several useless activities such as opening and closing doors and checking to see if a lock is bolted tight. It's reported that thumb twiddling is common in individuals with obsessive–compulsive disorder. Thumb twiddling may be a result of nervousness, anxiety, boredom or habit.

Medical uses

Thumb twiddling can be used as a simple test for manual dexterity.