The document discusses the formation of the Society for Hand Therapy (SHT) in India. Key details: 1. In January 2007, a group of occupational therapists and physical therapists with an interest in hand rehabilitation came together to form an association called the Indian Society for Hand Therapy after a two-day workshop in Thane, India. 2. The SHT was officially registered after this event. Its mission is to represent hand therapists in India and support the development of knowledge and skills in hand therapy. 3. The newsletter provides information on the SHT's aims, treatment techniques used in hand therapy, and an upcoming international conference on hand therapy. It invites contributions from members for the newsletter.

1. Palekar, Shalaka Gaikwad. The date
to remember is 14th January 2007.
After that we soon became country
member of International Federation
for Societies of The Hand .
Hearty Congratulations
to all the therapists working in
the hand and upper extremity
rehabilitation. You have got a
new title “Hand Therapist”….
As you all know that
hand therapy requires knowl-
edge of physical therapy and
occupational therapy theory and
practical skills. That’s why there
was a need of come to an under-
standing between both the pro-
fessions. It was very difficult for
professional bodies representing
Occupational Therapy and Physi-
cal Therapy in India to come
together and form the body for
hand therapy and hand thera-
pists. They have different objec-
tives, both move in different di-
rections. This was the reason
why few Occupational Therapists
and Physical Therapists, with
common interest i.e. rehabilita-
tion of the hand came together to
form an association in January
2007. The occasion was the two
day workshop conducted by Shri-
kant Chinchalkar at Hotel Tip
Top Plaza, Thane. Almost 50
therapists (OT and PT) from all
over (Hyderabad, Pune,
Coimbtore, UK, Delhi, Mumbai)
attended the course. On the sec-
ond day of the course the meet-
ing was held to form the associa-
tion. Everybody agreed to have a
body, The name proposed was
Indian Society for Hand Therapy.
The formation of society was
announced. Some donated
money on the spot….Shrikant Chin-
chalkar, Kavita Mulgaonkar, Tushar
Founder Members who signed the Document for Registration of SHT
1. Nandgaonkar Hemant (President)
2. Sangekar Amol (Secretary)
3. Chavan Prabhakar (Joint Secre-
tary)
4. Mugdha Wagh-Shaan(Treasurer)
5. Shashikant Chandanshive (Joint
Treasurer)
6. Kavita Mulgaonkar (Advisor)
7. Snehal Desai (Advisor)
8. Amit More
9. Savita Savardekar
10. Priya Tawde
11. Shriharsh Jahagirdar
12. Shalaka Harlankar
13. Yogesh Adwani
AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF SOCIETY FOR HAND THERAPY
November 2009Volume 1, Issue 1
SOCIETY FOR HAND THERAPY(INDIA)
NEWSLETTER
Special points of interest:
• HAND THERAPY DEFINITION
• NATIONWIDE NETWORK
• SOCIETY FOR HAND THERAPY LOGO
• SHT VISON
• SHT MISSON
Inside this issue:
President’s Message 2
Nationwide Network 2
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 3
Aims & Objectives 3
QUIZ 4
Invitation for Contribution 4
SHT URL 4
President’s Message
LOGO FOR SOCIETY OF HAND THER-
APY. THE COLOUR COMBINATION
REPRESENTS INDIAN FLAG AND THE
SHAPE INDICATES THE HAND.
DESIGNED BY AMOL SANGEKARDESIGNED BY AMOL SANGEKARDESIGNED BY AMOL SANGEKARDESIGNED BY AMOL SANGEKAR

2. to gather the therapists, who
have specialized skill and
knowledge and interest as
secondary. They will have
their own political reasons
and commitments behind this
move. Our question is “Why
we need other associations
to form our association?”
But we assure to
all the members that Society
for Hand Therapy is “by the
therapists and for the
therapists”. We are not in
favor of having the history
repeated. Therapy profes-
sions have the history of
having their intervention as “
medically directed”. We do
not want to repeat the his-
torical events again.
We are capable of
standing alone. We have to
be confident of moving for-
ward in right directions. We
can make Hand Therapy a
stronger profession. We will
cooperate with other fields,
but that does not mean that
our association has to be
“directed” by other associa-
tion. There will be few people
who might get impressed by
the positions offered to them.
But this will not be of any
long term benefit for the
profession, even if there are
some personal gains.
Lastly, we need to
respect the educational stan-
dards of therapists. In India,
there are some therapists,
who have not undergone
proper training. We need to
form guidelines on who will
be called as hand thera-
pist...Nationwide certification
examination will help. This is
the new beginning for hand
therapy….long way to go…..
Let’s join hands together...
PONDICHERRY WING
Mahesh Kawle
AHMEDABAD WING
Tony Thomas
KARNATAKA WING
Shovan Saha
MUMBAI WING
Amol Sangekar
PUNE WING
Tushar Palekar
NAGPUR WING
Sofia Azad
THANE WING
Amit More
CONT...PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
NATIONWIDE NETWORK OF SHT
TREATMENT TECHNIQUES AND TOOLS
• Compressive therapy
• Desensitization
• Electrical modalities
• Ergonomic modification
• Exercise
• Manual therapy
• Patient and family educa-
tion
• Prosthetics
• Sensory re-education
• Splinting
• Standardized and non-
standardized assessment
tools
• Strengthening
• Thermal modalities
• Work hardening/
retraining
• Wound care/dressings/
topical agents
A variety of tech-
niques and tools may be
used in therapeutic inter-
vention with hand and
upper quarter patients,
including but not limited
to:
• Activity
• Adaptive/assistive devices
• Training in activities of
daily living (ADLs)
• Behavior management
The mission of the
society is to
represent the
professional group of
hand therapy in India
and to endeavor to
support the
development of
knowledge and skills
within this field to
members, in order to
facilitate the delivery
of the highest quality
of care in the field of
practice.
Page 2 SOCIETY FOR HAND THERAPY(INDIA)
Following this
event with some delay the
Society for Hand Therapy
was registered. Inclusion of
“Indian” word in title was
not allowed in the title be-
cause of Government of
India Rule. Charitable com-
missioner objected and
final title which was ap-
proved “Society for Hand
Therapy”. After the forma-
tion of the society, now
there are attempts to form
another society. We agree
to the concepts of having
the different societies and
we respect their individual
aims and objectives. But
there are attempts by the
other societies

3. 1. To set and ensure the
ethical practices at national
level and also to promote
high professional standards
in the field of hand therapy
by the members of SHT.
2. To share scientific
experience and research
with colleagues, and also
with Hand Surgeons and
allied professionals dealing
with hand patients.
3. Advance and promote
the study and general
knowledge of treatment of
the hand.
4. To make collaborative
links with key people and
organizations associated
with hand therapy.
5. Indian society for hand
therapy (ISHT) is going to
represent hand therapists in
India and also to the and
development of its mem-
bers, as well as ensuring
that hand therapy is pro-
vided for all those who need
the service.
6. To organize host and
evaluate annual confer-
ences with hand surgeons
at national and international
level.
• Behavioral science, and psy-
chological reactions to impair-
ment
• Research design and statis-
tics
• Kinesiology and biomechanics
• Posture and pathomechanics
• Etiology and pathology of
medical conditions
• Surgical and medical treat-
ment of conditions
• Standardized and non-
standardized assessment tools
The foundation of hand therapy
is comprehensive understand-
ing of:
• Surface anatomy
• Anatomy and physiology of
the skin/connective, muscular,
skeletal, nervous, and vascular/
lymphatic systems
• Physical properties (e.g.,
heat, water, light, electricity,
and sound)
• Wound healing
• Treatment rationale, indica-
tions and contraindications
• Treatment methods, tech-
niques, and tools
• Expected functional outcomes
of treatment
• Expected physiological and
psychological effects of treat-
ment procedures
• Regulatory and legal guide-
lines
• Resource management
• Professional codes of ethics
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF SOCIETY FOR HAND THERAPY
SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE BASIS OF HAND THERAPY
International Conference in Orlando, Florida
ized by the American
Society of Hand Thera-
pists (ASHT).
IFSHT repre-
sents more than 5500
hand therapists. It co-
ordinates hand therapy
societies’ activities,
enhances exchange of
hand therapy knowl-
edge.
For more de-
tails of the conference ,
please visit
www.hands2010.com
8th Triennial
Congress of Interna-
tional Federation of
Societies For Hand
Therapy (IFSHT) will
be held at Orlando,
Florida, USA from 24th
through 26th June,
2010. The theme for
the congress is
“Entwining the World of
Hand Therapy. This
conference is organ-
SHT VISION
“Encourage the
development of
skilled and
qualified Hand
Therapists in
India.”
Page 3VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1
7. Publish and pro-
mote understanding and
information in order to
encourage high stan-
dards of care and re-
search in this field.
8. To assist and en-
sure that hand therapy is
provided for all who need
the service with a range
of problems to maximize
their functioning.
maintenance of equipment
and assistive devices
• Safety techniques and
procedures (e.g., infection
control, emergency proce-
dures, practitioner safety,
environment)

4. © Photograph by Hemant Nandgaonkar
QUIZ:
DESCRIBE THE NAME OF THE SPLINT AC-
CORDING TO SPLINT CLASSIFICATION SYS-
TEM.
AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF SOCIETY FOR HAND THERAPY
ADDRESS FOR COMMUNICATION
Hemant Nandgaonkar
B 302,Heriatge Holy,
Jawaharlal Nehru Road,
Mulund west, Mumbai 400080
Phone: +91 989 202 3357
E-mail:
nandgaonkar.hemant@gmail.com
FOR MEMBERSHIP, PLEASE VISIT
http://hotc4u.tripod.com/isht
This the new beginning for hand therapy in India. Whatever we do, we think should be articu-
lated and written. We have new platform for the same….Society for Hand Therapy (India) Newsletter.
We will soon start journal where the scientific contributions will be published. Till the we can communi-
cate through the Newsletter. If you want contribute by writing an article, send a photograph of splint,
adaptive device, exercise equipment, want to ask opinion on case please send us at nandgaon-
kar.hemant@gmail.com.
QUIZ:
NAME THE SPLINT IN PHOTOGRAPH.
Please submit your contribution by 20th of November.
© Photograph by Hemant
Nandgaonkar
CONTRIBUTION TO THE NEWSLETTER