SOMC – CHUV
Swiss Olympic Medical Center (SOMC) - Sports Medicine Center - CHUV
Health and sports medicine
SOMC – CHUV
Swiss Olympic Medical Center (SOMC) - Sports Medicine Center - CHUV
Branded the Swiss Olympic Medical Center (SOMC), the Sports Medicine Center at the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) has three main areas of activity:
It diagnoses and treats injured athletes, supporting and planning their recovery. It offers physical assessments for both amateur and seasoned athletes with a view to enhancing their performance and preventing injuries and overtraining; it also provides advice on prevention, training and nutrition for young professional and elite athletes. Finally, it helps those looking to take up exercise to enhance their fitness.
The SOMC also offers a medical assessment and personalized exercise program for patients with chronic diseases.
In addition, the SOMC is active in the academic field. It conducts scientific and medical research in various areas of sports and sports medicine, in partnership with a number of institutions such as the University of Lausanne (UNIL) and its Institute of Sports Science (ISSUL), the Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and the Swiss Biomotion Lab. The center also works with the private sector to independently test various devices.
Teaching is another important mission for the center, which it fulfills in cooperation with UNIL, the CHUV and the University of Health Sciences (HESAV). The SOMC offers a Bachelor’s course in health care and sports, a Master’s course in sports treatment through ISSUL and courses for UNIL medical students.
Finally, the SOMC is responsible for medical arrangements at various sporting events in Vaud Canton and for various sports clubs and federations.
Sports science – health and sports medicine – sports technology
- Sports medicine: The center provides a full assessment, advice and treatment for all types of sports-related physical and musculoskeletal problems.
- Exercise medicine: the center develops consultations and research to help people do regular and appropriate physical exercise. Two specialized consultations have been developed: (1) “advice on physical activity”, to motivate and help people switch to a more active lifestyle, and (2) “return to sports” to assess and manage the health risks before starting a new physical activity. The center is also working to develop consultations to promote regular exercise in patients suffering from chronic diseases – such as coronary heart disease, respiratory diseases, diabetes, obesity and multiple sclerosis – and in stroke and cancer survivors.
- Tests and training: The center offers the possibility to test various aspects of performance (such as endurance, speed and strength), evaluate fitness, start or restart a training program, prevent injuries, and find out the effectiveness of a training program through personalized tests that employ the latest technologies.
- Sports cardiology
- Underwater and hyperbaric medicine
- High-altitude medical consultations
- Diabetes and sports
- Gait analysis and podiatry: a video analysis of walking/running on a treadmill can be carried out in order to provide advice on the best choice of running shoes, and a baropedometer can be used to dynamically analyze foot plantar pressure to determine whether an insole is needed. These insoles are produced by two podiatrists.