Christina Helging Opava
Professor Emeritus
E-mail: christina.opava@ki.se
Visiting address: ANA 23 (B3), 14183 Huddinge
Postal address: H1 Neurobiologi, vårdvetenskap och samhälle, H1 Fysioterapi Brodin, 171 77 Stockholm
About me
- Christina H Opava (formerly Stenström) is from 2021 Professor emerita, formerly a full Professor of physiotherapy since 2006, a registered physiotherapist since 1978 and formally specialised in physiotherapy in rheumatology since 1996. Founder and member of research team with main focus on Physical Activity and Health in Rheumatic Disease.
Is a foreign adjunct professor at Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam College of Physiotherapy, Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences, Loni, India.
Education and career:
• University diploma, Physiotherapy, Lund University, 1978
• Doctoral degree, Medical Science, Karolinska Institutet, 1993
• Associate Professor (docent), Physiotherapy in Rheumatology, Karolinska Institutet, 1999
• Full Professor, Physiotherapy, Karolinska Institutet, 2006
Academic honours, awards and prizes:
• Distinguished Scholar Award, Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals, USA 2002
• Nanna Svartz prize in Clinical Rheumatology Research, Pfizer/Swedish Rheumatology Association, 2004
• Ann Kunkel Advocacy Award, Association of Rheumatology Health professionals, USA, 2016
• Honorary membership, European League Against Rheumatism, 2017
• Lifetime Achievement Award, Association of Rheumatology Health professionals, USA, 2018
• Leadership in Rehabilitation Award, World Confederation for Physical Therapy, 2019
• Honorary membership, Swedish Society of Rheumatology, 2019
• Honorary membership, Swedish Physiotherapy Association, 2020
• Honorary Award for Zealous and Devoted Service to the Nation, Swedish Agency for Government Employers/Karolinska Institutet, 2021
• Silver Medal recognising excellent efforts to support the activities of Karolinska Institutet, 2021
• Lifetime Achievement Award, European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology, Health Professionals in Rheumatology, 2022
Research
- Main research focus on physical activity and exercise in the rheumatic diseases in intervention studies and implementation studies, development and adaptation of assessment methods and exploration of patients’ and care givers’ perspectives on physical activity. Studies on physical activity effects on mechanisms behind systemic and local inflammation, pain modulation and cardiovascular function are performed in collaboration with specilists in these areas. The research is translational and multiprofessional and performed in collaboration with researchers from multiple universities in Sweden and abroad.
Teaching
- Teaching experiences mainly from the KI physiotherapy program, but also from all levels at eight Swedish universities and in the USA, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and India. Development and administration of courses within the KI Physiotherapy program and editorship and writing of textbooks (chapter) and other teaching materials in Swedish and English.
Regular lectures and presentations on evidence-based physiotherapy by invitations from clinics, professional organisations and patient organisations.
Articles
- Article: SURGERY. 2026;195:109928Gohy B; Van den Bergh R; von Schreeb J; Opava CH; Oundagnon B; Kitembo A; Beme A; Mafuko J-M; Ndiramiye E; Musambi IM; Wehrung R; Navarro J; White RA; Brodin N
- Journal article: EXPLORATION OF CARDIOLOGY. 2026;4Meziani S; Shahgaldi K; Hupin D; Jakobsson JG; Sarajlic P; Fridén C; Nordgren B; Venkateshvaran A; Opava CH; Lundberg IE; Manouras A; Bäck M
- Article: CLINICAL RHEUMATOLOGY. 2025;44(12):4881-4893Shorter E; Ossipova E; Alves ES; Idborg H; Vanluyten J; Kosek E; Liu Z; Nordgren B; Friden C; von Walden F; Malm C; Jakobsson P-J; Opava CH; Korotkova M; Lundberg IE; Lanner JT
- Article: BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION. 2025;25(1):616Johansson H; Lindblom S; Timm L; Gardiner PA; Opava CH; Dohrn I-M
- Article: PHYSIOTHERAPY THEORY AND PRACTICE. 2024;40(2):327-337Swardh E; Thorstensson CA; Khatri S; Kindblom K; Opava CH
- Article: PHYSIOTHERAPY RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL. 2023;28(4):e2014Opava CH; Kindblom K; Rao K; Thorstensson CA; Swardh E
- Article: PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH. 2023;3(9):e0001723Gohy B; Opava CH; von Schreeb J; van den Bergh R; Brus A; Mbarga NF; Ouamba JP; Mafuko J-M; Musambi IM; Rougeon D; Cote Grenier E; Fernandes LG; Van Hulse J; Weerts E; Brodin N
- Article: PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH. 2022;2(12):e0001334Gohy B; Opava CH; von Schreeb J; van den Bergh R; Brus A; Qaradaya AEH; Mafuko J-M; Al-Abbasi O; Cherestal S; Fernandes L; Frois ADS; Weerts E; Brodin N
- Article: PHYSIOTHERAPY THEORY AND PRACTICE. 2022;38(11):1683-1692Swardh E; Jethliya G; Khatri S; Kindblom K; Opava CH
- Article: ACR OPEN RHEUMATOLOGY. 2022;4(2):111-118Pettersson S; Demmelmaier I; Nordgren B; Dufour AB; Opava CH
- Article: FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE. 2021;8:788243Hupin D; Sarajlic P; Venkateshvaran A; Friden C; Nordgren B; Opava CH; Lundberg IE; Baeck M
- Article: PHYSIOTHERAPY THEORY AND PRACTICE. 2021;37(9):963-972Swardh E; Opava CH; Nygard L; Lindquist I
- Article: SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF RHEUMATOLOGY. 2021;50(3):178-182Hedenstierna L; Opava CH; Askling J; Jiang X; Ernestam S; Alfredsson L; Klareskog L; Saevarsdottir S
- Article: RMD OPEN. 2021;7(2):e001635Swardh E; Opava C; Brodin N
- Article: PHYSICAL THERAPY. 2020;100(12):2144-2153Swardh E; Nordgren B; Opava CH; Demmelmaier I
- Article: BMC MEDICAL RESEARCH METHODOLOGY. 2020;20(1):124Axen I; Jensen I; Forslund EB; Grahn B; Jorgensen V; Opava CH; Bodin L
- Article: ARTHRITIS CARE & RESEARCH. 2019;71(12):1556-1565Oude Voshaar MAH; Das Gupta Z; Bijlsma JWJ; Boonen A; Chau J; Courvoisier DS; Curtis JR; Ellis B; Ernestam S; Gossec L; Hale C; Hornjeff J; Leung KYY; Lidar M; Mease P; Michaud K; Mody GM; Ndosi M; Opava CH; Pinheiro GRC; Salt M; Soriano ER; Taylor WJ; Voshaar MJH; Weel AEAM; de Wit M; Wulffraat N; van de Laar MAFJ; Vonkeman HE
- Article: PHYSIOTHERAPY THEORY AND PRACTICE. 2019;35(1):31-39Nessen T; Opava CH; Martin C; Demmelmaier I
- Article: JOURNAL OF INTERNAL MEDICINE. 2018;284(6):664-673Sarajlic P; Friden C; Lund LH; Manouras A; Venkateshvaran A; Larsson SC; Nordgren B; Opava CH; Lundberg IE; Back M
- Article: ARTHRITIS RESEARCH & THERAPY. 2018;20(1):262Lofgren M; Opava CH; Demmelmaier I; Friden C; Lundberg IE; Nordgren B; Kosek E
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All other publications
- Corrigendum: PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH. 2024;4(2):e0002953Gohy B; Opava CH; von Schreeb J; van den Bergh R; Brus A; Mbarga NF; Ouamba JP; Mafuko J-M; Musambi IM; Rougeon D; Grenier EC; Fernandes LG; Van Hulse J; Weerts E; AIM-TStudy G; Brodin N
- Corrigendum: PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH. 2024;4(2):e0003002Gohy B; Opava CH; von Schreeb J; Van den Bergh R; Brus A; Qaradaya AEH; Mafuko J-M; Al-Abbasi O; Cherestal S; Fernandes L; Frois ADS; Weerts E; AIM T Study Group TAIM-TS; Brodin N
- Conference publication: TROPICAL MEDICINE & INTERNATIONAL HEALTH. 2021;26:195-196Gohy B; Opava C; Musambi IM; Namekong JPM; Ndiramiye E; Mafuko JM; Mohamed AHM; Calmejane A; Van Hulse J; Lambert V; Ousman M; Ciglenecki I; Ahmedana K; Sieber S; Van den Bergh R; Von Schreeb J; Brodin N
- Preprint: RESEARCH SQUARE. 2020Ossipova E; Idborg H; Fridén C; Jakobsson P-J; Kosek E; Malm C; Nordgren B; Opava C; Tegner Y; Vanluyten J; Korotkova M; Lundberg I
- Meeting abstract: ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES. 2019;78:1086-1087Hedenstierna L; Opava CH; Ernestam S; Askling J; Klareskog L; Alfredsson L; Saevarsdottir S
- Letter: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PREVENTIVE CARDIOLOGY. 2018;25(10):1106-1108Venkateshvaran A; Sarajlic P; Lund LH; Friden C; Nordgren B; Opava CH; Lundberg IE; Larsson SC; Manouras A; Back M
- Meeting abstract: ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES. 2018;77:160Pettersson S; Demmelmaier I; Nordgren B; Dufour AB; Opava CH
- Conference publication: ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES. 2018;77:1869Swardh E; Opava C; Nygard L; Lindquist I
- Conference publication: ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES. 2018;77:1827Brodin N; Bobst N; Opava CH
- Conference publication: ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES. 2017;76:1523Swardh E; Nordgren B; Opava CH; Demmelmaier I
- Conference publication: ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATOLOGY. 2016;68Opava CH; Bjork A; Dufour AB; Nordgren B; Demmelmaier I
- Conference publication: ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES. 2016;75:1280Nessen T; Opava CH; Martin C; Demmelmaier I
- Conference publication: ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES. 2016;75:1280Nessen T; Opava CH; Demmelmaier I
- Conference publication: ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATOLOGY. 2015;67Demmelmaier I; Pettersson S; Nordgren B; Dufour AB; Opava CH
- Conference publication: ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATOLOGY. 2015;67Opava CH; Nordgren B; Friden C; Demmelmaier I; Bergstrom G; Lundberg IE; Dufour AB; Nessen T
- Conference publication: ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES. 2015;74:159Cuperus N; Vlieland TV; Brodin N; Hammond A; Kjeken I; Lund H; Murphy S; Neijland Y; Opava C; Roskar S; Sargautyte R; Stamm T; Mata XT; Uhlig T; Zangi H; van den Ende E
- Conference publication: ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES. 2015;74:1313Revenas A; Martin C; Opava CH; Keller C; Asenlof P
- Editorial: LANCET. 2015;385(9966):396-398Opava CH; Bjork M
- Conference publication: ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATOLOGY. 2014;66:S479Demmelmaier I; Dufour AB; Nordgren B; Opava CH
- Meeting abstract: ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES. 2014;73:1200Friden C; Jansson E; Osterlund T; Grooten W; Opava CH; Rickenlund A; Nordgren B
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Grants
- Swedish Research Council1 January 2015 - 31 December 2017
- Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare1 December 2014 - 30 November 2017
- Swedish Research Council1 January 2009 - 31 December 2011
Employments
- Professor Emeritus, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, 2024-2026
- Professor/Physiotherapist, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, 2006-2020