Journal of Hand Therapy

The Journal of Hand Therapy is designed to support and advance evidence-based hand therapy, which is a speciality of rehabilitation that focuses on the upper limb. Hand therapists can come from either parent discipline physical therapy or occupational therapy and become hand therapists after advanced training and in some countries this speciality requires certification. As a hand therapy journal, we publish scientific papers, clinical papers, brief reports, and editorials that inform hand therapy. We require that the implications to hand therapy practice are clearly stated, and prefer the interventions be provided by hand therapists. Whether hand therapists, physical therapists or occupational therapists provided “hand therapy” interventions should be stated in methods, and the nature of the intervention should be clearly described (to support reader implementation). However, the discussion should focus on hand therapy, not just the parent discipline or the medical implications, to fit within the scope of the journal. Early work that is more basic or innovation development will be considered, if the implications for future hand therapy practice are clear. Papers that do not inform hand therapy should be submitted to another more relevant journal.