A tremor is an involuntary,[1] somewhat rhythmic muscle contraction and relaxation involving oscillations or twitching movements of one or more body parts.

It is the most common of all involuntary movements and can affect the hands, arms, eyes, face, head, vocal folds, trunk, and legs.

The doctor will also check for tremor symmetry, any sensory loss, weakness or muscle atrophy, or decreased reflexes.

The tests are designed to determine any functional limitations, such as difficulty with handwriting or the ability to hold a utensil or cup.

The patient may be asked to place a finger on the tip of her or his nose, draw a spiral, or perform other tasks or exercises.

Due to the risks, alternatives such as "GABAergic drugs like sodium oxybate and NASs, LVA Ca2+ channel blockers like zonisamide, glutamate receptor antagonists like perampanel, and long-chain alcohols like 1-octanol" are preferred.

Some occupational therapists recommend the use of weights, splints, other adaptive equipment, and special plates and utensils for eating.

These surgeries are usually performed only when the tremor is severe and does not respond to drugs, and further evidence is required to determine the best course of treatment for any individual patient.

[27][28][29] Response to surgeries can be excellent, reducing some symptoms such as "tremors, stiffness, slowness, and dyskinesias" for patients with Parkinson's Disease.

[30] Thalamotomy, involving the creation of lesions in the brain region called the thalamus, is quite effective in treating patients with essential, cerebellar, or Parkinsonian tremor.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) uses implantable electrodes to send high-frequency electrical signals to the thalamus.

In particular, it has been clinically tested that the increase of damping or inertia in the upper limb leads to a reduction of the tremorous motion.

Biomechanical loading relies on an external device that either passively or actively acts mechanically in parallel to the upper limb to counteract tremor movement.

[citation needed] Starting from this principle, the development of upper-limb non-invasive ambulatory robotic exoskeletons is presented as a promising solution for patients who cannot benefit from medication to suppress the tremor.

In this area robotic exoskeletons have emerged, in the form of orthoses, to provide motor assistance and functional compensation to disabled people.

In the case of tremor management, the orthosis must apply a damping or inertial load to a selected set of limb articulations.