Definition of hand dominance

Hand surgeons are often be asked to define their patient's hand dominance. This may relate to severe hand injuries, when the patient will have to train the previously non-dominant hand as his new dominant hand, or when compensation, which is often higher for the dominant than the non-dominant hand, is sought after injury. In severely injured hands this task can often be difficult, especially in childhood when reliance on the patient's verbal information can not always be taken for granted. In workmen's compensation cases, cooperation with a patient, who sometimes seeks a higher reward, can not always be assumed. More than one test is therefore indicated. The choice between the various available tests should include manual, hearing, and visual tests. In all three modalities, dominance is known to be present. Mixture of the tests enables the examiner to overcome any manual difficulties in performing the tests that result from injury related disability. The correct mixture will also make it difficult for a patient who is being evaluated for compensation, to falsify the results. Nine tests in different combinations have been used to reach the optimal evaluation.