Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics
Volume 31, Issue 8 , Pages 577-582, October 2008

Differences in Range of Motion Between Dominant and Nondominant Sides of Upper and Lower Extremities

  • Luciana Gazzi Macedo, BPT, MSc

      Affiliations

    • Doctural Student, The George Institute for International Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
    • Corresponding Author InformationSubmit requests for reprints to: Luciana Gazzi Macedo, BPT, MSc, The George Institute for International Health, University of Sydney, Level 7, 341 George St, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
    • ,
  • David J. Magee, BPT, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Professor, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
    • Associate Dean, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Received 1 August 2007; received in revised form 16 May 2008; accepted 15 June 2008.

Abstract 

Objective

The objective of this study was to compare ranges of motion (ROM) between dominant and nondominant sides for the joints of the upper and lower extremities.

Methods

Ninety healthy white women from 18 to 59 years of age were measured in this study. Active and passive ROM were measured for the ankle, knee, hip, shoulder, elbow, and wrist using a standard goniometer. The order of the joints, motion, sides, and active or passive motion testing was randomly selected. A paired t test was used for the comparison between sides.

Results

The results of this study showed a statistically significant difference between dominant and nondominant sides for 34 of the 60 ROM measured. The maximum mean difference between sides for all ROM measured was 7.5°.

Conclusion

The results of this show that some ROM are different between body sides and that when these differences exist they are minimal and may not be clinically insignificant. These results support the practice of using the opposite side of the body as an indicator of preinjury or normal extremity ROM.

Key Indexing Terms: Range of Motion, Articular, Female

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PII: S0161-4754(08)00237-6

doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2008.09.003

Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics
Volume 31, Issue 8 , Pages 577-582, October 2008

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