Evaluation of Relationships Between Postural and Functional Lateral Preferences and Chewing Side Among Students In Eastern Turkey

This study aims to evaluate the relationships between postural and functional lateral preferences and the preferred chewing side among young subjects. Functional lateral preferences, postural lateral preferences and the preferred chewing side were assessed in 376 young individuals (178 men, 198 women, mean age: 20.07). Of the 376 individuals, 31.1 % were strong right-handers, 58.8 % were weak right-handers, 2.9% were ambidextrous, 5.9% were weak left-handers, 1.3% was strong left-handers. There was a right-side preference for handedness (89.9%), footedness (75.8%), earedness (59.2%), eyedness (paper tube test, 70.0%), eyedness (Rosenbach dominant eye test, 62.9%), hand clapping (78.4%), leg-crossing (64.4%), preferred chewing side (60.9%) and a left-side preference for hand-clasping (55.2%), and arm-folding (55.3%). Only eyedness (paper tube test) differed between the genders; women mostly preferred the left eye when looking through the paper tube. Handedness, footedness, earedness, and eyedness (paper tube) were each related with hand-clapping, however not with hand clasping and arm folding. In addition, hand clapping and leg crossing (but not hand clasping and arm folding) were each related to preferred chewing side. In general, individuals who preferred the right side were right sided in all of the variables, while individuals who preferred the left side were closely related to individuals who preferred both sides. Thus, it can be concluded that individuals who preferred the left side tended to be mostly bilateral, compared with individuals who preferred only the right side. These results may bring insight into the relationships between functional and postural lateral preferences and the preferred chewing side for the young population.