title: The influence of lower-limb dominance on postural balance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Maintainance of postural balance requires detection of body movements, integration of sensory information in the central nervous system and an appropriate motor response. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether lower-limb dominance has an influence on postural balance.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study conducted at Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP) and at Hospital do Coração (HCor).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty healthy sedentary males aged 20 to 40 years, without any injuries, were evaluated. A single-foot balance test was carried out using the Biodex Balance System equipment, comparing the dominant leg with the nondominant leg of the same individual. The instability protocols used were level 8 (more stable) and level 2 (less stable), and three instability indices were calculated: anteroposterior, mediolateral and general.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The volunteers' mean age was 26 ± 5 years (range: 20-38), mean weight 72.3 ± 11 kg (range: 46-107) and mean height 176 ± 6 cm (range: 169-186). Thirty-four of them (85%) presented right-leg dominance (defined according to which leg they used for kicking) and six (15%) had left-leg dominance. There were no significant differences between the dominant and nondominant legs at the two levels of stability (eight and two), for any of the instability indices (general, anteroposterior and mediolateral).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The lower-limb dominance did not influence single-foot balance among sedentary males.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Angélica Castilho
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.forename: Guilherme Carlos
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Brech
authors.forename: Andréia Moraes
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bourquin
authors.forename: Julia Maria D'Andréa
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Greve
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D055815:Young Adult