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Coloma's avatar

Is it possible that handedness may somehow correlate with same side body weaknesses?

Asked by Coloma (47193points) November 10th, 2012

Just a random thought of curiosity, I can do my own research, but, I am wondering if any of you seem to have a body breakdown based on handedness?
I am lefthanded and I swear, the entire left side of my body is going wonky. lol
I have a stiff left shoulder, two bad fingers, a glitchy left knee, a tweak in my left hip and a bad left ankle and….my left eye is weaker than the right!
A couple of these are old injuries ( shoulder & ankle ) but, the rest just seem to be showing up at random lately. Is there something about handedness that may cause one side of the body to be more prone to problems?

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15 Answers

El_Cadejo's avatar

I’m right handed and the left side of my body is pretty fucked up. This is from a car accident though so I dont really think it counts. Interesting theory though.

Coloma's avatar

@uberbatman Yes, it is interesting.
Well…the right side of my body, including my right brain, is in perfect shape.haha
Thank God I am right brain dominant, it just means I will become even more eccentric as the logical and linear left side of my brain deteriorates. lol

gailcalled's avatar

I am right-handed. The X-rays of my knees tell my doc that the right one should be much more painful than the left.

Subjectively, the left one hurts a lot more.

I did break my right ankle while attending a ski school class with 8-year olds when I was 35.
And I did fracture my right wrist when I stuck it out reflexively to break a fall.

That’s helpful, right?

filmfann's avatar

Scientists have found the reason for handedness.
There is a gene that causes Right Handedness. If you lack this gene, you could be either left or right handed, 50–50. With the gene, you will be right handed.
A break down on the left side, which is the side the heart is on, may be caused by a number of things, but are probably not connected to which handed you are.

Coloma's avatar

@gailcalled Interesting.
@filmfann I think my heart is fine, unless heart trouble effects your muscles and skeleton. haha

Granted I have been a really active person for a lot of years, maybe it’s just age related acceleration of the overused parts and the left side breakdown is mere coincidence.

Adirondackwannabe's avatar

@Coloma I bat right handed, golf left handed, write right handed, shoot a basketball left or right handed. usually left handed, play guitar “upside down and backward”. What’s that say to you?

Coloma's avatar

@Adirondackwannabe It says that your body is balanced and therefore, both sides will degrade equally. lol

Adirondackwannabe's avatar

@Coloma LOL. Ain’t that the truth. :)

wundayatta's avatar

Of course there will be differences based on side of body because we use the sides differentially. Whatever handed you are, that will get more use. It will have more hand and shoulder problems. And, to the extent you use one leg differently, it too will become worn down differently.

Unbroken's avatar

Ancedotally for me, as a right handed person. I do fine motor function with my right, grunt work with my left. As a result my right side is weaker and more inclined to injury. Which to this point I have been able to circumvent with exercise.
Maybe you should try yoga or chiropracter to adjust your spine and see if that aids muscoskeletal.

Coloma's avatar

@rosehips I have been doing weekly massage lately, and, a lot of physical outdoor yard stuff last week. Extra strain.
It’s just amusing that all of my little aches and pains are all on the left side of my body. haha

Unbroken's avatar

@Coloma I like your sense of humor. And admire the awareness you have to your own body.
It is great that you get massages.
Not to sound like a know it all but after multiple back injuries I find that walking is the most helpful thing. Seems counterintuitive for knee and ankle injuries but it relatively low impact. And works on body alignment where chiropractors are great for gross adjustments and traction massages probably help inflammation and specific muscle tightness neither of them work on the root of the problems.

Shippy's avatar

Perhaps you use that arm, and hand more therefore experience wear and tear there?

Coloma's avatar

@rosehips Yes ,I walk and stretch too and have an ankle brace.
Having a hot tub helps a lot. I have been totally pampering the old bod today, been out there 3 times already, feelin’ pretty good in the moment.
Just a little burst of over used parts it seems.lol

@Shippy Yeah, my left arm and hand, I am trying to alternate more with certain things I do. It’s the 50’s zone, things start getting rusty.lol

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