Left vs. right: does handedness shape motor skills in future physiotherapists?
NCT ID NCT07699068
First seen Jul 13, 2026 · Last updated Jul 15, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study investigates whether right-handed and left-handed physiotherapy students differ in upper extremity strength, dexterity, and functional performance. Researchers will assess 42 students using hand function tests, grip and pinch strength measurements, and a self-reported disability questionnaire. The goal is to understand how handedness influences motor skills critical for clinical practice, potentially informing ergonomic adjustments in training.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If differences are found, this could guide ergonomic adjustments and training modifications for left-handed physiotherapy students.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small observational study (42 participants) in a specific student population, so findings may not apply broadly. Results are exploratory and may not lead to definitive conclusions.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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About 42 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Aug 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Sep 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
The study population consists of undergraduate students studying in the Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, who are healthy volunteers and stratified into groups based on their hand preferences (right-handed vs. left-handed).
- Ages
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18 to 25 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Being a student currently enrolled in the Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation. * Being aged 18 years or older. * Voluntary participation with signed informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Having a history of orthopedic surgery, severe trauma, or structural deformity in the upper extremities. * Diagnosis of any neurological, rheumatological, or systemic disease that permanently affects upper extremity motor functions or muscle strength. * Presence of acute pain, injury, or active inflammatory conditions in the dominant or non-dominant upper extremity within the last 3 months. * Sensory deficits or uncorrected visual impairments that prevent understanding or performing the functional tests.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The official record
The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.