n Feature Article abstract Hand Dominance and Common Hand Conditions KEVIN LUTSKY, MD; NAYOUNG KIM, BS; JUANA MEDINA, MD; MITCHELL MALTENFORT, PHD; PEDRO K. BEREDJIKLIAN, MD U pper extremity disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), De Quervain’s tenosynovitis (DEQ), lateral epicondylitis (LE), hand osteoarthri- tis (OA), and trigger finger (TF) are com- mon diagnoses that lead patients to seek a hand surgeon for evaluation and treatment. 1,2 Although there is a common perception that these disorders should affect the dominant hand more often, clinical experience sug- gests that this is not always the case; it is not seen as unusual for these conditions to pres- ent in the nondominant hand. The frequency with which these disorders present as it re- lates to hand dominance is not well docu- mented. 3 Furthermore, one may suspect that the presence of one of these disorders in the dominant hand would result in greater dis- ability than if it were to affect the nondomi- nant hand. However, the effect of hand dom- inance on function in the presence of one of these disorders is also not well known. 2.3 The purpose of the current study was to assess how frequently patients with unilateral disease symptoms present for evaluation of one of these disorders as a function of hand dominance. Further- more, the authors sought to evaluate, us- The goals of this study were to (1) assess how frequently patients present for evaluation of common hand disorders in relation to hand dominance and (2) evaluate the effect of hand dominance on function in patients with these condi- tions. The authors hypothesized that (1) the majority of patients who seek evalu- ation would have a condition that affects the dominant hand, and (2) disability scores would be worse if the dominant hand is involved. They retrospectively reviewed the records of consecutive patients who presented for treatment to their institution with unilateral symptoms of 5 common disorders of the hand: carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), De Quervain’s tenosynovitis (DEQ), lateral epi- condylitis (LE), hand osteoarthritis (OA), and trigger finger (TF). The authors as- sessed the effect of diagnosis and hand dominance on Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) scores. The study group comprised 1029 patients (379 men and 650 women) with a mean age of 59.5 years. Ninety percent were right-hand dominant. The dominant and nondominant hands were affected with relatively equal frequency for CTS, DEQ, OA, and TF (range, 45%-53%). Patients with LE had a significantly higher incidence of dominant hand involve- ment. Men had lower DASH scores than women by an average of 7.9 points, and DASH scores were significantly but slightly higher for the overall group (3.2 points) when the dominant side was affected. Men with LE and women with TF and OA had significantly higher DASH scores when their dominant extremity was affected. Common hand disorders such as CTS, DEQ, OA, and TF affect the dominant and nondominant hands in roughly equivalent proportions, whereas LE is more common on the dominant side. Dominant hand involvement results in significantly worse DASH scores, although the magnitude of this is relatively small. Women have significantly higher DASH scores than men for the condi- tions evaluated. [Orthopedics.] The authors are from the Rothman Institute of Orthopedics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The authors have no relevant financial rela- tionships to disclose. Correspondence should be addressed to: Pedro K. Beredjiklian, MD, Rothman Institute of Ortho- pedics, 925 Chestnut St, 5th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107 (pedro.beredjiklian@rothmaninstitute. com). Received: September 8, 2015; Accepted: Oc- tober 14, 2015. doi: 10.3928/01477447-20160315-02 1