Bilateral asymmetry in weight and in length of human bones

Abstract

Abstract The weights and lengths of right and left bones of each pair, from 105 human skeletons from Asia, were studied. All of the long bones of the upper are heavier and longer on the right side. The left femur is heavier and longer. The right tibia and fibula are heavier while the left tibia and right fibula are longer. The right scapula is heavier and the os coxae, clavicle and the bones of the hand and foot are heavier on the left side. Generally, the left bones are more variable in weight and length. The upper extremity and its individual bones manifest more asymmetry than the lower. The proximal bone of upper and lower extremities and the scapula and os coxae show a greater degree of asymmetry in weight than the the more distal bones. In general, the left bones have slightly higher correlations with total skeletal weight. These and the intercorrelations between right and left bones of the six pairs of long bones of the extremities are all significant and positive. The highest intercorrelations of the long bones are between right and left bones of a pair.