Hospices Civils de Lyon Integrates Sport and Health into Patient Care
- France faces a significant public health challenge as physical inactivity accounts for an estimated 9% of all deaths.
- The HCL embeds physical activity directly into patient care pathways alongside traditional medical interventions across multiple departments.
- Physical activity is now recognized as a genuine non-pharmacological therapy.
France faces a significant public health challenge as physical inactivity accounts for an estimated 9% of all deaths. Only 40.2% of adults aged 18 to 79 report engaging in regular physical activity. In response to these statistics, the Hospices Civils de Lyon (HCL) integrated sport-health as a structural axis of their 2035 Strategic Project. Raymond Le Moign, Director General of the HCL, stated that the organization aims to transition hospitals from places that merely treat illness to institutions that actively preserve health.
Integrating Movement into Hospital Care Pathways Across Specialties
The HCL embeds physical activity directly into patient care pathways alongside traditional medical interventions across multiple departments. The Pavillon Sport et Santé at the Femme Mère Enfant hospital serves more than 950 pediatric patients annually, featuring a mini-golf course, a climbing wall, and a city-stade. Meanwhile, the Henry Gabrielle hospital utilizes a therapeutic pool, a gymnasium, and a movement analysis laboratory to guide rehabilitation patients toward autonomy.
Additional specialized programs operate across other regional facilities. The Bien sur ses jambes program at Lyon Sud hospital assesses physical capabilities and provides adapted physical activity sessions to help elderly patients reduce fall risks and preserve mobility. In oncology, the Pôle Sport & Cancer at Croix-Rousse hospital offers support before, during, and after treatments, alongside the JUMP program for post-cancer rehabilitation. The E-HÔP initiative brings Adapted Physical Activity into 37 services and 26 specialties across the hospital network.
Physical activity is now recognized as a genuine non-pharmacological therapy. Its benefits have been demonstrated in numerous chronic conditions, in oncology, geriatrics, rehabilitation, and pediatrics. The question is no longer whether movement is beneficial, but how to sustainably integrate it into care pathways. This is precisely what the HCL teams are working on every day, in close collaboration with patients.
Expanding Sports Medicine and Academic Partnerships Ahead of 2030
Alongside clinical care, the HCL maintains dedicated sports medicine expertise distributed across two main sites. The Croix-Rousse hospital uses advanced technologies and two complementary services to support athletes ranging from amateurs to high-level competitors. The network also partners with athletic organizations such as OL Lyonnes, the Lyon Hockey Club, and the French Tennis Federation.
Academic institutions are aligning with these regional health initiatives. Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 incorporates sport-health into its student wellness framework in alignment with the national Sport Santé Strategy. The university accommodates high-level student athletes by adjusting academic schedules and plans to introduce mandatory sports sessions in the upcoming academic year. Meanwhile, the HCL prepares to expand its physical medicine infrastructure with the scheduled 2027 inauguration of the new Arthrosis and Sports Medicine Center at Lyon Sud hospital, designed to serve as a lasting regional legacy of the Jeux Alpes 2030.