Light Touch and Pain Sensation Differences between Dominant and Non-Dominant Hands of Healthy Subjects

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify and document light touch and pressure pain threshold differences between the dominant and non-dominant hands of healthy subjects. Pressure pain threshold (dolorimeter) and light touch threshold (Semmes-Weinstein Monofilaments) in the median, ulnar and radial nerve distributions were tested on the dominant and non-dominant hands of 131 healthy subjects. Pressure pain testing showed significantly higher thresholds in the dominant hands than in the non-dominant hands. There were no statistically significant differences between dominant and non-dominant hands for light touch threshold.