system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Is the handedness of a subject important to know for doctors and scientists, and if so, why?

I've seen a couple of medical TV shows recently where they talk about patients or test subjects as follows:

> Patient is a right-handed man in his 50s in generally good health etc. etc.

I'm just wondering whether that's considered important in real life and if so why? My doctor has never once asked me which hand I use, for instance.
gpt
If it pertains to musculoskeletal or rheumatologic disease then handedness does indeed matter. Right hand pain in a right-handed, older mechanic is more likely arthritic or degenerative in nature as opposed to right hand pain in a left-handed person. Bilateral pain can sometimes be worse on the dominant side as well, also giving clues to a diagnosis. In terms of other diseases handedness plays less of a role, and is likely included for thoroughness.