Rehaboteket is a proud partner of the Swedish Handball National Team

For several years now, Rehaboteket has been a proud partner of the Swedish Handball National Team. The collaboration is based on a shared ambition: to give the players the best possible conditions to perform, prevent injuries and stay injury-free through a long and intense season.

Viktoria Karlsson, Leg. Physiotherapist and specialist in sports medicine, is one of the physiotherapists in the Swedish Handball National Team's medical team. In her daily life, she runs the Sports Clinic in Västerås. Here, Viktoria shares her background, her experiences and what protection the players trust.

Tell us about yourself and your background.

I am from Dalkulla but now live in Västerås. I graduated as a physiotherapist in 2008 and have played handball at the elite level for four seasons in Västerås–Irsta. Unfortunately, my active career came to an abrupt end after three cruciate ligament injuries, which also shaped my interest in sports medicine.

After my playing career, I have been a physiotherapist for Västerås–Irsta's ladies in the Handball League – now in my 18th season. On a daily basis, I run the Västerås Sports Clinic together with a colleague, where we help both athletes and exercisers recover after injuries. We collaborate with several associations and, among other things, lecture via SISU on injury prevention training, something that is particularly close to my heart.

In addition to the clinic, I am part of the medical team for the women's national team.

What does a typical workday look like at the clinic compared to when you work with the National Handball Team?

At the clinic, I mostly see young athletes with injuries such as cruciate ligament injuries, shoulder problems and back problems. The working days are very varied, which I love. One evening a week I also visit the ladies of Västerås–Irsta.

The focus in the national team is on teamwork: helping the players perform at their best. We physiotherapists assess and treat injuries, apply tape, help with recovery and have a close dialogue with doctors, national team captains and players. At each training session, we are two physiotherapists/naprapaths and a doctor.

What types of products do you mainly use for players – and why?

We have an extensive medicine bag with products for different needs. These include:

Permanent bandages for emergency care
Linnex and massage oils for heating and treatment
Plasters and wound care products
And of course – lots of tape

When it comes to protection, ankle and knee pads are the most common.

What is most important to you when choosing partners in protection and support?

For us it is important that the partner is responsive to our requirements and needs. The products must be of high quality, durable and work in a tough sports environment. The products we use from Rehaboteket are always of the highest quality, which is important as handball is a tough sport where the equipment is exposed to heavy wear and tear.

Rehaboteket's offering to handball players – quality, expertise and personal recommendations

As a specialist in orthopedic protection for both elite athletes and exercisers, we offer a wide range of knee pads , ankle pads and equipment that is well adapted to the high demands of handball players . Our products are handpicked and quality assured – and you can always get personal advice from our physiotherapist Ida if you need help choosing the right protection.