My orthopedic office still lists being left handed as a disease

    by Justadudeonhisphone

    33 Comments

    1. Expensive_Track_8822 on

      i know there’s a history of stigmatism against lefthandedness but i also wonder if this is because most things are designed for righties, which means lefties have to compensate/use them adaptively, which potentially could be correlated with higher incidences of some orthopedic conditions?

      edit: clearly the joke about stigmatism – eg, society having a distorted view of left mhandedness resulting in a stigma/bias – was totally lost on many of you.

    2. Hm, not 100% sure how it’s meant…I know someone who is left handed and was taught/forced to use his right hand only which might lead to other problems…maybe it’s about the forceful re-education? If it’s really just about being left handed and saying that isn’t normal…that’s terrible at this day and age.

    3. VelvetEspresso on

      they really need to get their facts right but for now you’re left with no other option ..

    4. Aggravating_Ad1182 on

      About time we are recognized for our struggles going through life in a right handed world

    5. The world isn’t built for the left handed. It is a significant orthopedic consideration. Though overtly sticking it under diseases is a bit uncouth, lol.

    6. Disease a bit of a stretch… disorder could be a fair term. I have read the argument that it’s a form of dyslexia. (Which I’m left handed and dyslexic so it makes sense for me.) Usually I like to say I am a very sinister person and just leave it at that

    7. corporaterebel on

      I programmed early BEAM (brain imaging and mapping) systems back in the 1980’s.

      You, or anybody, can immediately tell if a person was left handed as their “brain map” looked like their brain had been run over and stuffed back into ones skull.

      Asymmetrical and looks like “brain damage”.

      We had to keep normal databases aligned by handedness. The differences are massive.

      /I am also left handed.

    8. BrownBabaAli on

      It’s most likely to put in consideration if your injury is on your dominant hand/arm or not when they’re coming up with treatment/surgical options.

    9. As someone who’s left handed it sure does feel like a disease sometimes when the ENTIRE WORLD is designed with righties in mind

    10. BabySharkMadness on

      My understanding is if something is in the diseases section it’s tied to hospital billing (if US). Especially for orthopedics a lot of the medical equipment is designed for right handedness, the doctors would have to order a separate piece of equipment for left handedness. To justify the purchase of what is likely more expensive products there has to be a “disease” associated with the need. If it was just your preference, you’d have to pay for it yourself.

    11. Being left handed is far more devastating than metastatic malignant neoplasm to the bone.

    12. Being left handed is a contributing factor to a lot of injuries ortho has to deal with.

    13. When I was growing up( in Iran – still am, lets not make it political), my family thought there is something wrong with me because I was left handed. they forced me to become right handed just to realise i am dysfunctional when writing with right. so they left me be. 37 years later and I am on reddit. so maybe they were right all along?

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