title: Consistency of hand use and frequent falls.
abstract: We examined relationships between consistency of hand use and falling in groups of right-handed university undergraduates who were either consistent (n = 45) or inconsistent (n = 32) in the use of their hands. A scoring procedure developed for the Briggs-Nebes Handedness Scale permitted us to classify individuals as consistent or inconsistent in the use of their hands. The inconsistent group was 2.81 times more likely to have experienced frequent falls during the last 12-mo. period and was 1.64 times more likely to rate themselves higher on proneness to falling. These data suggest that inconsistent hand use may be a sign of a developmental inconsistency in motor coordination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, San Jose State University, CA 95192-0120, USA.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Inman
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Deharo
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Hicks
mesh_terms: D000057:Accident Proneness; D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology