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.
Bell-KrotoskiJ A, WeinsteinS, WeinsteinC (1993) Testing sensibility, including touch-pressure, two-point discrimination, point localization, and vibration. Journal of Hand Therapy6: 114–23.
3.
Bell-KrotoskiJ A, FessE E, FigarolaJ H, HilzD (1995) Threshold detection and Semmes-Weinstein Monofilaments. Journal of Hand Therapy8: 155–62.
4.
Bell-KrotoskiJ A (1995) Sensibility testing In: Current concepts. In HunterJ M, SchneiderL H, MackinE J, CallahanA D (eds) Rehabilitation of the Hand, 4th ed.C V Mosby, St Louis.
5.
Bell-KrotoskiJ A, BufordW L (1997) The force-time relationship of clinically used sensory testing instruments. Journal of Hand Therapy10: 297–309.
6.
EdwardsR R, FillingimR B (2001) Age-associated differences in responses to noxious stimuli. Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci56: 180–185.
7.
HunterJ M, SchneiderL H, MackinE J, CallahanA D (1995) Rehabilitation of the Hand, 4th ed.C V Mosby, St Louis.
8.
KingP M (1997) Sensory function assessment. A pilot comparison study of touch pressure threshold with texture and tactile discrimination. Journal of Hand Therapy10: 24–28.
9.
LoweC T, MahoneyC H (1996) Sensibility testing and sensory re-education. In: PeimerC A (eds) Surgery of the Hand and Upper Extremity Volume 2, McGraw-Hill Companies.
10.
MielkeK, NovakC B, MackinnonS E, FeellyC A (1996) Hand sensibility measures used by therapists. Annals of Plastic Surgery36: 292–296.
11.
NovakC B, MackinnonS E, WilliamsJ I (1993) Establishment of reliability in the evaluation of hand sensibility. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery92: 311–321.
12.
NussbaumE L, DownesL (1998) Reliability of clinical pain algometric measurements obtained on consecutive days. Physical Therapy78: 160–9.
13.
OzmutafN M (2004) Bioistatistige Giris.TC Ege University Atatürk Vocational School of Health Service Publication, Izmir, Turkey.
14.
PauliP, WiedermanG, NickolaM (1999) Pressure pain thresholds asymmetry in left and right handers: association with behavioural measures of cerebral laterality. European Journal of Pain3: 151–156.
15.
RozentalT D, BeredjiklianP K, GuyetteT M (2000) Intra-and inter-observer reliability of sensibility testing asymptomatic individuals. Annals of Plastic Surgery44: 605–609.
16.
Van VlietD, NovakC B, MacKinnonS E (1993) Duration of contact time alters cutaneous pressure threshold measurement. Annals of Plastic Surgery31: 335–339.
17.
VatineJ J, ShapiraS C, MagoraF, AdlerD, MagoraA (1993) Electronic pressure algometry of deep pain in healthy volunteers. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation74: 526–30.
