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The creative commons licensed 3D anatomy model BodyParts3D lists the volume for various bones. It lists for the left ulna 81.9 cm3 while it lists 73.3 cm3 for the right ulna. It lists for the left radius 88.0 cm3 while it lists 77.8 cm3 for the right radius.

How good is the evidence that this general pattern exists, whereby people have more voluminous ulna and radius on the left side?

Christian
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2 Answers2

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Based upon Bilateral Asymmetry in Weight and in Length of Human Bones The Anatomical Record vol. 152, pages 217-224, the right, not the left is bigger.

On average the right ulna is 2.419 mm longer than the left.

The right radius is 2.590 mm longer than the left.

The person to person variance of the above difference is such that the standard deviation is about the same as the difference itself (2.413 mm for the ulna difference and 2.250 mm for the radius difference).

The mass of the right ulna is 0.924 grams more than the left.

The mass of the right radius is 0.648 grams more than the left.

The person to person variance of the above mass differences is such that the standard deviation is is greater than difference itself (1.989 g for the ulna mass difference and 1.033 g for radius mass difference)

DavePhD
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I couldn't find anything for the ulna/radius, but there is evidence of bilateral asymmetry for the tibia and humerus bones. According to the background info provided in this article asymmetry in the human skeleton have been reported since the 1840s

Doug B
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