Why some people have trouble telling left from right - & why it's so important

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Found this article... thought it was quite interesting & also quite valid for Podiatry... particularly when we are often assessing/referring to the left &/or right in relation to verbal feedback from patients, subsequently us relaying info back to them pertaining to the signs & symptoms to their/our left or right side... all whilst usually in a face to face setting where our right-side perspective is on the patient’s left-side (been guilty messing this up on a least a couple of occasions ).

- Why some people have trouble telling left from right (and why it's so important): (http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/...e-telling-left-right-and-why-its-so-important)

 

Planing to avoid confusion helps. For example medical doctors as mentioned usually are face to face with the patient but the chiropractor is looking at the back. X-ray film is usually sent to us labeled for face to face viewing but we put them up reverse with left to our left. When I measure and transcribe the views to the patient card left is on the left. When a patient report is given the the X-ray views are introduced as "we are looking at your back" which is literally true because the film or receptor is behind the client when the exposure takes place.
The result is that there has been almost no left right confusion in the reports or at the treatment table. The exception is when we receive films that do not have a left or right mark.

 

I want to mention that in my practice clients will often move the opposite leg or arm than I requested because they are avoiding using the one that hurts.
It is also easier for me to get the reference correct if I am at the head of the client when face up and at the feet of the client when face down.