Effect of Repeated Movements on Motion Perception and Motor Learning of Dominant and Non-dominant Upper Extremity of Healthy Individuals

Abstract

Objective: Hand dominancy can be observed as right, left, or the usage of bilateral hands. Majority of the Turkish population arc right-hand dominant. This study aimed to examine and interpret the motion perception and motor learning of the dominant and non-dominant upper extremity.

Methods: A total of 146 right-hand dominant university students participated in this study. The mean age of participants was 23.0 +/- 1.99, wherein 80 were female (54.79%) and 66 were male (45.21%). Hand preference was evaluated by the Edinburgh Hand Preference Questionnaire. Participants were positioned at the table edge with the hip, knee, and elbows at 90 degrees flexion. Measurements were made on a special platform. Participants view asked to place the glass at the center point, with a 25 cm distance from the rangefinder, and their eyes closed. Measurements were repeated 3 times on both dominant and non-dominant sides. The distance and deviation rate from the center point were recorded in cm with the laser rangefinder. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 21.0 program was used in the analysis.

Results: According to the Edinburg Hand Preference Questionnaire, 42 of participants (28.76%) were strong right dominant, 95 (65.06%) were weak right dominant, and 9 (6.18%) were weak left dominant. The mean of distance from the central point for three measurements during the activity of glass placing were 2.56 +/- 1.91 cm on the dominant side and 2.57 +/- 1.86 cm on the non-dominant side. No significant difference was observed in terms of distance from the center point in dominant and non-dominant hand (p>0.05). However, when results of the deviation from the center of three measurements were examined in the dominant side, according to the deviation distance, the first measurement was found closer to the center point than the second and third measurement results (p<0.05).

Conclusion: It is thought that the first measurement results are closer to the center with the effect of visual memory at the dominant and non-dominant sides, but in the second and third repetitions, it is thought that the deviation from the center is due to the short term memory, kinesthesia, and motor learning ability which could not he coded correctly.