The effect of hand preference on hand anthropometric measurements in healthy individuals

Abstract

This study was planned for the purpose of investigating the effect of hand preference on hand anthropometric measurements, with the participation of 393 healthy university students. The hand preference direction of the subjects was established according to the Edinburgh Inventory, and five hand preference determination groups were constituted after calculation of the laterality score. During performance of the hand anthropometric measurements, values for both hands were calculated, and seven parameters were evaluated for each hand. Hand width and shape index were found to be high for the right hand, but the palmar length/width ratio was found to be high for the left hand, for strong and weak right handers, respectively. No significant statistical values were obtained among ambidextrous subjects, although their parameters resembled these groups' values. Additionally, in the left-handed group, reverse direction asymmetric values were established, but significant statistical values were not obtained. An increase in right and left hand asymmetry was established going from the strong right hand preferent group to the strong left hand preferent group (on a decreasing scale of right hand preference). If the laterality score is evaluated without regard to groups, left hand shape index and right hand finger index may be accepted as phenotype indicators of hand preference. Left hand shape index and right hand finger index increased in correlation with the tendency for left hand and right hand preference, respectively. The findings reveal that, environmental factors such as hand activity, hormones, and brain asymmetry may play a role in the effect of hand preference on hand anthropometric measurements. In our study, we found no difference in asymmetry in regard to the sex of the subjects, generally.