Therapy and Training
Annual Report 2022
Getting people moving: this is the daily goal of our Therapy and Training department when it comes to both competitive and amateur athletes. This includes treatment in the event of an illness or accident affecting the musculoskeletal system, rehabilitation after an operation, sports assessments, training at all sporting levels, injury prevention and training support.
To get people moving in a healthy way, we rely on a strong foundation: our skilled team of therapists. All our employees are specialised: physiotherapy is divided into the specialist areas of hip, knee and foot, shoulder and elbow, spine, and sports physiotherapy. There is also occupational therapy with a focus on the hand. Performance diagnostics offers sports assessments. Sports therapy supports patients and clients in medical training therapy or training.
We look after patients and athletes at our clinic, on the sidelines or digitally. Our digital therapy companion “Schulthess Coach” is a free app that supports (remote) care with individual training, physiotherapy and occupational therapy programmes. Compared with 2021 (1,998 programmes), we assigned 2,979 therapy programmes in 2022, around 50% more than in the previous year.
Webinars for physiotherapists and ergotherapists
Our specialised therapists are happy to share their knowledge. For example, we conducted two online training courses together with specialists from the surgical departments.
In March 2022, the “Best Practice Shoulder: physiotherapeutic and surgical” was held in cooperation with Physioswiss Zurich-Glarus with almost 600 participants. The focus was on physiotherapeutic and surgical interventions for frozen shoulder and shoulder prostheses.
In May 2022, we conducted an online training course for ergotherapists and handtherapists on the topic of “Post-treatment of PIP arthroplasty”. Around 200 participants followed the lectures on the surgical procedure for osteoarthritis of the interphalangeal joint and the postoperative follow-up treatment.
Scoliosis from different perspectives
More than 200 participants, mainly affected persons and their relatives, attended the specialist scoliosis event in March 2022, which was held at our premises in cooperation with the Swiss Scoliosis Association (VSS). Specialists from various fields, including our physiotherapy team, provided illuminating insights into the topic from various perspectives, which served as valuable input for those affected.
GLA:D® for patients with back problems
The standardised, scientifically proven physiotherapy programme GLA:D® originates from Denmark and is aimed at patients suffering from knee and/or hip osteoarthritis or back pain. In 2020, we were among the first providers of the programme in Switzerland, at that time with a focus on knee and hip patients. In 2022, we also began offering the programme to back patients. The aim is always to reduce pain, increase functionality in everyday activities and improve quality of life.
Recertification as a Swiss Olympic Medical Center
On 9 December 2022, we were successfully recertified as a Swiss Olympic Medical Center for another four years. As such, we support Swiss competitive sport and help to ensure that Swiss athletes receive high-quality care and support. We continue to provide regular sports medicine, physiotherapy and performance diagnostics for Swiss athletes at our clinic and on the sidelines.
This professional setting also benefits all our patients and athletes at every level of sport.
Supporting top athletes
In 2022, our dedicated sports physiotherapy team once again successfully supported several athletes on their journeys back into the game after injuries or operations (for example, our sponsoring partners FCZ, Swiss Volley and Handball Stäfa).
As part of our sponsoring commitments, we also provided care directly on the sidelines at various tournaments outside of the clinic, such as supporting national beach volleyball players in Brazil or Mexico. As a medical partner, we were a constant presence at the renowned major beach volleyball tournament in Gstaad. With seven sports physiotherapists and five nurses, we supported the event, which was held against a unique mountain backdrop.
In total, our sports physiotherapy team recorded 174 care days outside of the clinic last year.
Performance diagnostics as a foundation for training
Professional performance diagnostics are the cornerstone of optimal training planning. In 2022, our performance diagnosticians carried out a total of 1,460 performance tests on top athletes in football, handball, ice hockey, volleyball (beach and indoor), rowing, mountain biking, BMX, athletics, tennis, luge, equestrian sports, golf and canoeing. In addition, over 600 performance tests were carried out on amateur athletes, who used the assessments to customise their training to their individual needs in order to achieve their personal goals in a more efficient and healthy way.
Schulthess training – really getting people moving
By the end of 2022, we had 644 members subscribed to our fitness plan. This is the same number of members as before the pandemic, which is no easy feat in these difficult times. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our members for their loyalty and all our staff for their flexibility.
In June 2022, we undertook the long-awaited reorganisation of the room concept in the training room, which had to be postponed several times due to the pandemic. The office workstation is now separated from the check-in and information area, meaning those focusing on administrative work will no longer be disturbed. Furthermore, the training area now offers better space for general exercises, jump training and floor exercises. Along with the new room concept, we also changed the care concept in the training room in the summer: a sports therapist is now present on the training floor to answer questions, assist with adjustments and provide even better care to medical training therapy patients and subscription clients.
We also got our employees moving – with 94 Fit@Work lessons, which the clinic offers at lunchtime and in the evening as a measure in the company health initiative.
Half of Switzerland gets moving
At the beginning of 2022, Markus Dohm-Acker, Head of Therapies and Training, got half of Switzerland moving. For the Tamedia Group’s “Fit in 8 weeks” campaign, he created and led a fitness programme suitable for everyone. It was published online and in print media throughout German-speaking Switzerland. More than 17,000 registered readers followed the programme over 8 weeks – not counting the fitness fans who participated without registering.
