In the Grand Est, we rely more than elsewhere on prescription sport

Since 2016, the law has authorized the prescription of sport in certain chronic conditions. But these adapted physical activity sessions, covered by certain mutual insurance companies, are not covered by the community apart from a few experiments. In the social security budget adopted at the beginning of the month, the government finally agreed to extend the system to patients treated for cancer, on an experimental basis and for a period of two years. A less generous gesture than initially announced during the debate in Parliament, when it was a question of including people with diabetes. Nevertheless, “it is already a very important first step” for Dr Arielle Brunner, from ARS Grand Est, who also underlines the role of the sports-health centers created in 2019 as an “entry point” to the activity physical.

The Grand Est region is a pioneer, with the “Prescri'mouv” system, created in 2018 with the Regional Health Agency (ARS) and operators such as the Regional Olympic and Sports Committee (Cros). A “very satisfactory” system for patients, who can be prescribed, by their attending physician or a specialist, eight to twelve sessions of physical activity reimbursed. “For a year, I haven't taken an anti-inflammatory,” says Caroline Rosiak, who suffers from spondylitis, in the “Aktiv'Forme” gym in Neuves-Maisons (Meurthe-et-Moselle).

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Aldo Danelon explains that he suffers from back pain. “Before, I went to the physiotherapist, it would go away for a while, but it would come back.” Since he started exercising, his pain has been much less recurrent. “Now, I come (to the gym) four to five times a week,” he assures. “The best medicine is sport,” assures Caroline Rosiak. “With adapted sport, we gradually regain self-confidence” while being “observed, safe,” agrees Pascal, who practices gymnastics with the Heart and Health club in Nancy. The sessions are “very professional”, in “a very specific medical context”, specifies Philippe Robert, president of the club where two thirds of the practitioners have a heart problem.

A unique system in France at such a degree of achievement and on such a vast scale, Prescri'mouv has enabled the monitoring of 10,000 patients since 2018, according to Nadège Hornbeck, vice-president of the Region in charge of health. Nearly seven out of ten patients continue physical activity after the reimbursed sessions. But “what’s taken is taken,” emphasizes Dr. Brunner. The reimbursed sessions allow “to get started” but also, for patients, to “become aware of the benefits” of the activity and to help “better manage” their illness.

Dr Alexandre Feltz, deputy mayor of Strasbourg, responsible for public and environmental health, recalls the territorial inequalities in access to sport and health: “Investing today” would however make it possible to “win tomorrow”, particularly on health and medication costs, he emphasizes. We must also remove the brakes on audiences furthest from sport, according to Joris Petitmangin, deputy director of Cros Grand Est. Like the fear of getting injured, the lack of time or even the financial brake. To remedy this, some associations offer annual contributions of 50 euros.