ASSESSMENT OF ASYMMETRY ACROSS DIFFERENT SUBMODALITIES OF PROPRIOCEPTIVE SENSES AND MOTOR SKILLS OF THE HAND IN YOUNG ADULTS

PURPOSE: Proprioceptive senses, particularly movement-position and force-effort senses enable individuals to perform essential motor functions. Despite their crucial role in the acquisition and execution of motor skills, proprioceptive assessment methods and the specific modalities they evaluate are clearly defined in the literature. Furthermore, there is a lack of consensus regarding the laterality of proprioceptive senses in upper extremities. The primary objective of this study is to examine the laterality and differences in movement-position and force-effort senses between the hands and to evaluate the relationship between motor skill laterality and various proprioceptive modalities in right-handers. METHODS: 60 healthy, right handed participants aged 18-30 were included in the study. The Finger Tapping Test (FTT) and Purdue Pegboard Test (PPT) were used to assess motor skills. Active Movement Extent Discrimination Assessment (AMEDA) and Targeted Pinch Force Grading Assessment (TPFGA) were used to assess proprioceptive senses. RESULTS: Proprioceptive tests did not show a significant difference between the hands. The dominant right hand performed better than the non-dominant hand in both motor tasks (p <0.001). No relationship was observed between motor and proprioceptive test results. CONCLUSION: Despite the dominant right hand's superior motor performance, no significant proprioceptive differences between hands were found. This suggests motor and proprioceptive asymmetries might differ between hands, and when the findings of this study is evaluated with previous studies, we claim that the current methods are insufficient in the thorough assessment of proprioceptive senses. Classifying proprioceptive measurement methods by active/passive movement and static/dynamic processes could greatly improve our understanding of sensorimotor issues and rehabilitation strategies.