Wim Grooten

Wim Grooten

Senior Lecturer | Docent
Telephone: +46852488861
Visiting address: ANA 23 (B3), 14183 Huddinge
Postal address: H1 Neurobiologi, vårdvetenskap och samhälle, H1 Fysioterapi Grooten, 171 77 Stockholm
Part of:

About me

  • *Current position*
    University lecturer Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, division of Physical Therapy 2013- (100%). Amount of research within the employment about 25%. 

    Associated professor (Docent) since spring 2011
    Member of Institutional board (NVS)


    *Previous positions and periods of appointments*
    Research assistant Health University Linköping. 1991-1992.
    University lecturer/associated professor Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, division of Physical Therapy from 2002-ongoing.
    Ergonomist at Karolinska Institutet Department of Public Health, division of Work and Environmental Medicine from 2002-2012

    *Research*
    Research group leader
    (https://ki.se/en/nvs/musculoskeletal-disorders-from-a-biopsychosocial-perspective)
    Seventy peer-reviewed publications (see below)
    Presentations at national and international conferences.
    Grant holder in TRAMA project (EU-financed project 2008-2009).
    Member in networks on Occupational Health Services 2010-2013, Regeneretive
    Medicine, Swedish biomechanics Society, etc.

    *Previous and current research funding.
    2002-2006: Music Norrtälje NVV, 150 000 SEK
    2010-2013: AFA insurance2 500 000 SEK.
    2010-2013: KI-fonden about 130 000 SEK in total.
    2011 Backapp AB 175 000
    2014: Scandinavian Business Seating AS 325 000
    2015-2017 ALF (Anna Kiesling/Magdalena Fresk) 700 000 SEK
    2016 Qinematic – insurance company financed a project 575 000 SEK
    2016-2018 Sveriges Regioner och kommuner (Magdalena Fresk) 120 000 SEK
    2019-2021 Swiss National Science Foundation (Roman Kuster) 720 000 SEK
    2022 Reumatikerförbundet (Björn Äng) 75 000 SEK


    Education at the Karolinska Institutet

    Main supervisor of one ongoing doctoral student: Fredrik Borg
    Co-supervisor of one ongoing doctoral student: Magdalena Fresk.
    Main supervisor of one finished doctoral student: Roman Kuster 2021.
    Co-supervisor of four finished doctoral students: Christina Olsson, 2010,  
    Ingrid Claesson, 2018, Elena Tseli 2019, John Ressman 2024.
    External mentor for two doctoral students at the Karolinska Institutet (2009 and 2017)
    Supervision of exam projects at bachelor level >150 students.
    Supervision of exam projects at advanced level >90 students.
    International supervisors at bachelor and master level.
    Head course organization for several courses on bachelor, advanced and doctoral levels
    Member in several halftime and disputation committees 2012-2024.
    Coordinator international collaborations with Rosario University Bogota Colombia, ZWAH (Zurich, Switzerland)., Bern University (Switzerland).
    “Best teacher in physiotherapy” –reward winner: 2015 and 2017, Winner of "Evidence blomman" 2024 (best teacher), nomitated nearly every year since 2014
    2023. Corresponding author to a high-impact publication in Annals of Internal Medicine (https://doi.org/10.7326/M22-2348)

     
    *Higher education degree(s)*
    Master in public health 1988 University of Maastricht the Netherlands.
    Physical Therapy, 1995, Karolinska Institutet.
    Doctoral degree 2006, Med Dr. Karolinska Institutet. Doctoral thesis title: Work and Neck/Shoulder Pain – Risk and Prognostic factors.
    Pedagogics for university teachers. Karolinska institutet (framtidens lärare)
    Supervisor courses.

Research

  • Movement science in a broad perspective (biomechanics, motor control)
    Epidemiology
    Musculoskeletal pain in a biopsychosocial perspective
    Systematic reviews

Teaching

  • Pedagogic courses:

    Framtidens lärare
    Course leader at different levels
    Lecturer and examinator in several courses at different levels
    Supervisor courses

Articles

All other publications

Grants

  • Immediate effects of chiropractic and physical therapy compared to open-label placebo in persons with chronic back pain - an RCT
    SFO-v
    1 April 2025 - 31 March 2026
    Reseach question What are the measurable and patient-reported effects of spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) and medical exercise therapy (MET), compared with, and in combination with, open-label placebo (OLP), in people with long-term non-specific back pain? Data and method People with physically demanding jobs often suffer from back pain, which can lead to altered movement patterns. In this project, we investigate how treatment with chiropractic spinal manipulation, physical therapeutic exercises or open-label placebo can normalize the movement patterns of people with long-term non-specific back pain, so that their movements become faster, smoother and more efficient. The project consists of a randomized crossover intervention study in a movement laboratory (n=40) to investigate the immediate and measurable effects of SMT, MET and OLP on movement patterns during work movements and gait. Open placebo is a treatment method where participants are aware that the treatment aims to induce placebo effects and is used as a comparison group in both sub-studies. In the laboratory study, it is used both as a single treatment and as an additional treatment. Societal relevance and utility Long-term back problems often lead to sick leave and high social costs. Even more people are working despite pain, and a 10–15% reduction in production due to sick leave has been reported. The loss of production can be partly explained by the fact that people with back problems compensate for their movements through unfavorable movement strategies. The project has the potential to reduce the loss of production by developing simple treatment methods that can quickly correct these compensatory movement patterns. Open placebo is a relatively new field of research and a promising form of treatment for people with non-specific pain conditions. Our research can contribute with new knowledge about the effects. Implementation Population Participants with long-term back problems are recruited through primary care, such as health centers, private clinics and occupational health care units. Interventions In the movement laboratory study (n=40), participants will be treated in a randomized order with SMT and MET by a licensed chiropractor for 6–8 minutes. Control treatment The treatments include a control treatment where all participants are offered to take two oral contraceptive pills. Participants are informed that the pills are placebo and are shown a news report in which patients with non-specific complaints, such as migraine and stomach upset, describe their positive experiences with placebo. Outcome An advanced movement analysis system is used to examine the immediate effects of the treatment on the participants' movement patterns when lifting a box (primary outcome measure) and during two additional functional movements: active forward bending and walking. Kinematic parameters such as stance time, movement speed and intersegmental coordination will be analyzed.
  • The Motion and Function Network
    Karolinska Institutet
    1 January 2025 - 31 December 2027
  • Stipendium Roman Kuster
    Swiss National Science Foundation
    1 January 2019 - 31 December 2021
  • Tippa-projektet
    Försäkringskassa / Region Stockholm
    1 June 2016 - 31 August 2018
  • Qinematic
    1 January 2016 - 31 December 2016
  • Swedish Research Council
    1 January 2016 - 31 December 2019
  • Försäkringskassa
    1 January 2015 - 31 December 2017
  • Anna Kiesling/Magdalena Fresk
    ALF
    1 January 2015 - 31 December 2017
  • Scandinavian bussiness seating
    31 July 2014 - 30 June 2015
  • KI-Fonden
    1 January 2014 - 31 December 2014
  • KI-Fonden
    1 January 2013 - 31 December 2013
  • Back app AB
    1 January 2010 - 30 June 2011
  • Hälsoundersökningar i företagshälsovården
    AFA
    1 January 2009 - 31 December 2013
  • ALF-medel
    1 January 2004 - 31 December 2004
  • KI- Institutionen för folkhälsovetenskap
    1 January 2004 - 31 December 2004
  • Nämden för vårdvetenskap
    1 January 1992 - 31 December 2000

Employments

  • Senior Lecturer, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, 2007-

Degrees and Education

  • Docent, Karolinska Institutet, 2011
  • Doctor Of Philosophy, Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, 2006

News from KI

Events from KI