I'm good at both equally. I think it's a brain thing. Though personally I have very interesting hands, I love my hands, somehow I can do anything that uses hands. My hands are also very strong- probably from being a hairdresser, piano player, guitar player, drummer, artist, and builder. I can work with my hands, and I'm also very good at theory as I have a photographic memory.
I think it has something to do with which part of your brain is more dominant. Kind of like, why some people are better at reading, while others are better at math
I think it's more useful to be handy than academic in the world we live in today. Nobody cares about degrees anymore, they just want to know if you can do the work.
With me and paper work related I just can't do but I can do almost anything with my hands.