Looking forward to the 40^th ASHT Annual Meeting…and beyond

 
The American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT) will be holding their 40^th Annual Meeting in Anaheim, California this week, October 12-15. Forty years is a great milestone, and certainly worthy of a grand celebration.
 
Advancing the Industry  
The ASHT, whose members include occupational and physical therapists, physician extenders, surgeons, researchers, and administrators, has undoubtedly seen a lot of change over the course of those 40 years. Changes in the industry that include advances in technology, science, and knowledge of delivering care. In fact, their annual meeting plans to acknowledge this progression directly through its theme; “Inspired by Our Past to Imagine Tomorrow.”
 
According to the ASHT website, the organization is composed of “…hand therapy professionals dedicated to advancing the field of hand and upper extremity therapy by promoting education, advocacy, research, and clinical standards.” And this will be on display this weekend, with the annual meeting program set to include four clinically focused days, as well as a host of prominent speakers who are leaders in their specialties.
 
OPTP is looking forward to attending the event as an exhibitor, and plans to bring numerous hand therapy products to showcase. It’s the first of several October events that OPTP will be attending as part of a busy October therapy and fitness conference schedule. 

Handii™ Healthy Hands
Among the hand therapy products that OPTP will be demonstrating is the new Handii Healthy Hands. This exclusive tool provides resistance exercise that can improve mobility and strength in fingers, wrists, and arms. The hand exercisers come in four resistance levels and are small enough in size to be kept in a purse, gym bag, or even a pocket. Uses for the Handii Healthy Hands include the following:

• Exercise both flexor and extensor muscles
• Aid with arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome
• Assist elbow tendinitis and tendinosis rehabilitation 
• Help advance upper limb movement for stroke patients
• Perform isolation exercises for wrists and fingers  

Small Health Balls™ for Soft Tissue Release
Another hand therapy product that OPTP will have at the ASHT Annual Meeting is this set of four miniature massage therapy balls for soft tissue release. Constructed of latex-free rubber material, the Small Health Balls are firm enough to provide soft tissue release and help eliminate knots while increasing blood flow and hydration. 

The balls are ideal for massage of sore hands, wrists, and forearms in order to relieve tension from stress, poor posture, and repetitive movements. They can also be placed between the knuckles to help alleviate and prevent joint stiffness in the fingers, a common result of daily stressors such as typing on a keyboard. 

Additionally, occupational therapist and integrative health coach Angela Kneale is authoring a ball rolling hand therapy book that will soon be published by OPTP. The book will illuminate different exercises and movements to relieve tension using the Small Health Balls.  

The Future is Bright…
The ASHT 40^th Annual Meeting promises to be an inspirational event. OPTP is looking forward to being a part of the weekend, which will be full of cutting-edge technology, innovations in care, and a wide variety of hand therapy products. For hand therapy patients, the future looks bright as they continue to be empowered by the restoring of function and opportunities to lead a fuller life.