The Karolinska Handball Study (KHAST), which began in the autumn of 2014, has the overarching goal of deepening knowledge about injuries and adaptations in the shoulder among young elite handball players. Specific objectives include mapping neck/shoulder function, assessing the number of injuries during the season, investigating whether factors such as gender, playing position, training volume, and previous shoulder injuries are risk factors, and determining whether the results of common functional tests can predict the risk of shoulder injuries in young elite handball players. KHAST is a prospective cohort study that aims to include approximately 400 players aged 15–19 from handball-specialized high schools in Sweden.
The players complete a comprehensive baseline questionnaire and are screened according to a specific neck/shoulder protocol. The players are then followed up with weekly questionnaires over two seasons to record injuries and handball participation. The project is conducted in collaboration with the Swedish Handball Federation, and an international expert advisory board (sports medicine, epidemiology, biomechanics, statistics, and orthopedics) is attached to the project. Among them is Markus Waldén, MD, PhD, one of Sweden's leading researchers in sports medicine. Data collection is expected to continue through 2017, and the results are expected to be significant for the prevention of shoulder injuries in both handball players and other "overhead sports" such as tennis, swimming, and basketball.
Folksam and the Swedish Naprapathic Association
Eva Skillgate, licensed naprapath, associate professor, and member of the Scandinavian School of Naprapathy's scientific council (project manager)
Martin Asker, licensed naprapath, lecturer, and doctoral student in the project, responsible for implementation.
