Brief communication: bilateral footedness and task complexity.

The primary intent of this investigation was to determine if stabilizing complexity (postural control) influenced lower limb selection while performing a bilateral footedness task. Right- and left-footed subjects (as determined by a bilateral preference inventory) were asked to stand on one foot and tap a telegraph key with the opposite foot repeatedly. The bilateral task was conducted in two conditions of stabilizing complexity, with the intent to augment focus of attention between stabilizing and mobilizing limb: simple (lights on) and complex (limitation of visual cues). Results indicated that in both simple and complex conditions, 50% or more of subjects switched stabilizing limbs or showed no preference when comparing preference inventory behavior to experimental conditions, suggesting, in general, that foot preference may be in part dependent on the context of the task and not tied predominantly to biological theory.