BrainCare is a leading center for concussion and sports neurology in the heart of Zurich. We specialize in early detection, diagnostics, and therapy following head injuries, focusing on a safe return to sports, school and work. Our main target audience consists of active individuals of all ages who have experienced concussions and have sports neurology inquiries, as well as patients with ongoing symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, vision impairments, or cognitive limitations.
Our goal is to improve functions and capabilities of the nervous system (such as vestibulo-ocular, vestibulo-spinal, neuromuscular, cognitive) and to counteract injuries and diseases through preventive measures. Through our research projects, which are based on many years of clinical experience, we strive for continuous improvement in treatment quality. We are setting international standards in sports neurology and contributing to the development of guidelines and recommendations to further improve medical care for head injuries.
Services
DIAGNOSTICS
Individual symptom-based diagnostics as the key to customized treatment plans. Our comprehensive, interdisciplinary offerings include a variety of, in part, device-supported examinations and tests.
THERAPY AND TRAINING
Targeted rehabilitation and training measures are crucial for a swift and safe return to school, sports, and profession. Therapy planning is carried out in close coordination with the patients' personal environment.
PREVENTION
The determination of individual neuroprofiles through basic assessments serves to identify risk factors and develop specific training recommendations for improving findings and enhancing performance.
News
As part of the course “Women in Elite Sports” in the Master’s program in Elite Sports at the Swiss Federal Institute of Sport Magglingen (SFISM), Nina Feddermann, founder of BrainCare,...
On May 29, 2024, the 19th Symposium on High-Performance Sports took place at the “An der Alten Försterei” stadium of 1. FC Union Berlin. The event captivated over 750 participants...
End of March 2024, the medical and sports communities came together in Geneva for a groundbreaking event: the first World Head Injury Awareness Day (WHIAD), hosted by HUG at Campus...
Faq
What is a sports-related concussion?
What are the typical symptoms of a concussion?
When should I visit the nearest hospital?
If no doctor experienced in managing concussions is present at the site of the accident (stadium/field), a specialist assessment should be initiated on the same day.
Also, the nearest hospital should be visited if any of the following warning signs are present:
- Neck pain or tenderness
- Seizure, “fits” or convulsions
- Loss of vision or double vision
- Unconsciousness
- Increasing confusion or worsening of consciousness (less responsive, dazed, sleepy)
- Weakness or numbness/tingling in more than one arm or leg
- Repeated vomiting
- Severe or worsening headaches
- Increasingly restless, agitated, unsettled, or aggressive
- Visible deformation of the skull
When is therapy necessary?
When can I participate in competitions again?
The decision to return to routine training and competition should be made by an interdisciplinary team. The return to routine training and competition should be gradual, and symptom-adapted in accordance with current international guidelines.
When in doubt, take him/her out.
What are preseason baseline tests?
Preseason baseline tests are used to establish individual baseline values for neurological functions before the start of sports activities. In the case of a suspected concussion diagnosis, these baseline tests can be used for comparison. The goal is to ensure optimal diagnostics and therapy and a safe return to sport, school and work after a concussion and other head injuries. Additional effects of the individual determined neuroprofile include indications of notable findings that can be trained with a focus on injury prevention and performance improvement.
What are therapy and training areas of sports neurology?
The training areas in sports neurology aim to improve neurological functions related to athletic/physical or cognitive performance for injury prevention and performance enhancement.
These include:
- Diagnosis and management of sports injuries to the central nervous system, including concussions and other traumatic brain injuries.
- Rehabilitation following sports-related brain injuries to restore or enhance brain function and performance.
- Development of prevention strategies to reduce the risk of sports-related nervous system injuries, including training and technique optimization.
- Management of neurological conditions that can impact athletic performance, such as epilepsy, movement disorders, or neurodegenerative diseases.
- Optimization of neurological functions to enhance athletic performance, including the development of training programs to improve vestibulo-ocular, -spinal, proprioceptive, visual (optokinetic), neuromuscular, cognitive, and autonomic/vegetative functions.
Who are our target patients?
The BrainCare team specializes in treating all active individuals over the age of 12.
From the active skier who has suffered a concussion, to the retired professional ice hockey player concerned about their brain health, to the student athlete experiencing headaches, to the roofer struggling with balance issues – our team is here to support your return to life!
«Following a climbing accident in February 2021, BrainCare and their remarkable team have been crucial to the complete brain recovery, enabling a return to professional running and climbing, with ongoing attentive care.»
Fernanda Maciel, Ultra Runner
Red Bull Athletin
«The BrainCare team is Amazing. The care, support, and rehab they put me through helped me recover from Long-Covid and come back to be the Person and Player that I want to be. »
Daniel Carr, Eishockey player
HC Lugano
«BrainCare supported me throughout my entire injury with their competent knowledge. The team responds to the patients and adapts the therapy to the needs of the patients. »
Joline Erni, Handball Player
GC Amicitia Zürich & Swiss National Team
We are Hiring
The Team
PD Dr. med. Nina Feddermann
FMH Neurology, Sports Neurology, Electrophysiology, ENMG,
Medical Director & Partner
Maya Reinhard
Physiotherapist BSc,
Sports Physiotherapist,
Neurorehabilitation and Training
Daniel Agostino
Sports Scientist MSc, Electrophysiological Diagnostics, Neurorehabilitation and Training
Natalia Belotti
Health Science and Technology MSc, Electrophysiological Diagnostics, Neurorehabilitation and Training
Sara Bertolis
Practice Coordinator,
Health Professional
Miryam Leyrer
Physiotherapist BSc,
Manual Medicine MAS, Neurorehabilitation and Training
Dr. phil. Johanna Klar
M.Sc. Psychology, Neuropsychology
