The Journal of Hand Therapy is designed for hand therapists, occupational and physical therapists, and other hand specialists involved in the rehabilitation of disabling hand problems. The Journal functions as a source of education and information by publishing scientific and clinical articles. Regular features include original reports, clinical reviews, case studies, editorials, and book reviews. The Journal of Hand Therapy is the official journal of the American Society for Hand Therapists. Visit the Journal of Hand Therapy online.

General Instructions
Authors are strongly encouraged to have their manuscripts reviewed by their colleagues prior to submission to the Journal.  The preferred method of submission is electronic.  Electronic manuscripts should be prepared in a MS Windows compatible format.  Transmit documents via e-mail attachments to paul.lastayo@health.utah.edu or on floppy disk to the above address.  Hard copy manuscripts must be typewritten, double-spaced, on one side of plain white paper, 8 1/2" x 11" (21.7 cm x 28.0 cm), with wide margins and indented paragraph openings.  Submit one original and three copies of the complete manuscript.

Title Page
The title page should contain the title of the article, the authors' names, their academic degrees, and their present affiliations.  The name of the corresponding author should be given with a reliable mailing address, telephone number, fax number, and, if available, e-mail address.  Authors should indicate on the title page whether the paper was adapted from a presentation at a meeting and should acknowledge grant support related to the paper.

Abstract
Each manuscript must include, on a separate page, an abstract of not more than 150 words.  The abstract of a study should state the purpose of the study, methods used, results, and conclusions.  The abstract of an article other than a study should indicate the principal topic that is discussed.

Tables
Each table must appear double-spaced on a separate page of the manuscript.  It must include a table number and a title.  Each table should be cited by its number in the text.

Photographs/Illustrations
Submit two copies of each illustration.  Photographs must be glossy black-and-white prints, and they should be well protected with cardboard for mailing.  Mail directly to the editor.  Each must have a label on the back showing the first author's name, the figure number, and an arrow indicating the top.

Camera-ready line drawings and graphs should be professionally drawn.  Each figure should be cited by number in the text.  Legends for all illustrations must be double-spaced and included as a separate page.

If you submit art electronically, Mac/PC formats are acceptable.  The minimum resolution for color and grayscale images is 300 dpi; the minimum for line art is 800 dpi.  Submit images in these resolutions saved as JPEG, TIFF, or EPS files.  PowerPoint images are NOT acceptable.  E-mail or send images on a zip disk (100 MB) or CD (ISO9660).  All art submitted on disk must be accompanied by a hard copy of the image.

References
Each reference in the text must be indicated by number, and reference numbers must indicate the order in which references appear in the text.  The bibliography of references must be double-spaced on a separate page following the text.  The Index Medicus style for journal abbreviations should be used, and references should be styled as follows:

Book:
1.  Jupiter JB.  Flynn's Hand Surgery.  4th ed.  Baltimore, Md: Williams & Wilkins, 1990.

Article in a journal:
2.  Littler JW.  On making a thumb: one hundred years of surgical efforts.  J Hand Surg.  1976; 1:35-51.

Chapter in book:
3.  Rystrom CM, Eversmann WW Jr.  Cumulative trauma intervention in industry.  In: Kasdan ML (ed).  Occupational Hand and Upper Extremity Injuries and Diseases.  Philadelphia, Pa: Hanley & Belfus, 1991:489-505.

A photocopy of the first page of each text cited as a reference must be included with the manuscript.

Permissions
Borrowed material must be accompanied by written permissions from the publisher and from the corresponding author of the book or journal article in which the material originally appeared.  Signed releases must accompany photographs of identifiable living persons.

Conflict-of-Interest Policy
A conflict-of-interest statement will be required for each manuscript that is accepted for publication.  This statement will have no bearing on the editorial decision to publish a manuscript.  That decision will be based solely on the value of the article to the readers of the Journal.

Practice Forum
This section presents new or timely ideas of clinical relevance.  Practice Forum topics may be, but need not be, original.  However, topics that are not original should represent a unique application of an existing idea and should be referenced. 

Submissions should be limited to 500 words.  Line drawings or black-and-white photographs are recommended.  Submit manuscripts directly to the Practice Forum Editor:

Peggy Fillion, OTR, CHT
Practice Forum Editor
84 Underhill
Sandy Hook, CT  06482

Inquiries about Practice Forum articles may be sent to Ms. Fillion by e-mail at plfillion@cs.com. 

Book Reviews
Books for review may be sent to the Book Review Editor:

Robert Ross, MPT, CHT
Physical Therapy Center
245 Alvord Park Road
Torrington, CT  06790

Inquiries may be sent by e-mail to robert.g.ross@snet.net.