I-PROTECT is a research project focusing on the implementation of injury prevention training for youth handball players (13-17-year-olds) in Sweden. The project is a collaboration between Lund University, the handball clubs H43 Lund and LUGI HF, the Regional Handball Federation in South Sweden, and the Swedish Handball Federation. Together, we develop and implement injury prevention training programmes for handball players. With our expertise in sports medicine, sports psychology, implementation science, and health promotion, we engage with health beneficiaries, program deliverers, and policymakers to establish an effective researcher-practitioner partnership. The goal is to make injury prevention training part of regular handball practice, through a series of studies. I-PROTECT stands for "Implementing injury Prevention training ROutines in TEams and Clubs in youth Team handball".

The video shows an example of handball training where injury prevention principles are integrated. For the legs, it is about landing softly on both feet with good knee position (knees over the toes). For the arms, it is about strengthening the backside of the shoulder and keeping the arm in a good shooting position (shoulder elevated at approximately 90 degrees).

The I-PROTECT project group

Researchers

Eva Ageberg - Professor and principal investigator, Lund University
Sofia Bunke - Senior lecturer, Lund University
Karin Moesch - Senior lecturer, Malmö University
Per Nilsen - Professor, Linköping University
Alex Donaldson - Senior research fellow, La Trobe University, Australia

Representatives Swedish Handball Federation

Jennie Linéll - Project manager
Robert Wedberg - Secretary General 
Per Ekberg - Development manager