Right VS Left

[happyfeet]

Some medical schools ask in exams like this, given a bone(femur/humerus/etc), identify if it is on the right bone or left bone. I'm wondering what are techniques or perhaps ways to determine the bone and kindly let's discuss in here.

 

Whose anatomy books should i read? please state author. I'm currently taking Physical Therapy and anatomy 1.

[Mr Skeptic]

Well for most people, the right sided bones will be extra thick. Also if the bone doesn't have a plane of symmetry, then there should be a distinction between the right and left one, such that a mirror image of it would look like a bone from the other side.

[happyfeet]

Also if the bone doesn't have a plane of symmetry, then there should be a distinction between the right and left one, such that a mirror image of it would look like a bone from the other side.

 

how do i look onto that? what if the bones where part of the skull or the manus etc. Now, i don't have problems on long bones, but when it comes to the manus, skull then thats the time i should know how will i be reviewing bones. How do i look onto that?

[Mr Skeptic]

Well, if you take the mirror image and then cannot rotate/move the piece back to the original position, then it does not have a plane of symmetry. (in chemistry we would call this "chiral"). So then the mirror image will be from the opposite side as the original. You would also be able to map it to your hand. You'll need at least 3 distinct "parts", and you just need to remember which orientation is the right and left. You can map it to your hand (thumb, fingers, and palm point 3 directions) if it will help you remember.

 

Being able to do this means you have to know the bones quite well, which is most likely the whole point of the exercise.

[divagreen]

Some medical schools ask in exams like this, given a bone(femur/humerus/etc), identify if it is on the right bone or left bone. I'm wondering what are techniques or perhaps ways to determine the bone and kindly let's discuss in here.

 

Whose anatomy books should i read? please state author. I'm currently taking Physical Therapy and anatomy 1.

 

This may seem like an irrelevant question...but are you a kinesthetic learner? Then palpation is a friend!

 

I think that it helps to view a living body in front of you in anatomical position, and start with lateral and medial terms. I think that maybe if once you are able to palpate the difference between the right and the left side of the skeletal structure, you will have a firm ground of muscle memory that you will always be able to operate from.

 

http://www.booksofdiscovery.com/

 

...is a link to Trail Guide of the Body. Probably not as in depth as your texts at school, but might be hugely helpful if you are on the road to becoming a PT.

 

Also, Anatomy of Movement by Blandine Calais-Germaine. That book really explores tensegrity within the scope of everyday action.

 

I hope this helps!

[happyfeet]

Thanks Mr. Skeptic and Divagreen, 12hrs ago i had my first human dissection and after that we had upper ex exam and as far as i could say i think i had no problems in laterality if its upper ex. Advices helped! thanks again. I would like to keep in touch with you guys:-)