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CURRENT CONCEPTS

Prevention of Injuries in To make it possible, it is necessary to implement an

Brazilian Soccer
epidemiological tracking system of those lesions,
because only then will we know where to focus our

efforts. The Brazilian Football Confederation (BFC)
already uses an on-line system where injuries that
David Sadigursky, MD
Member of the Department of occur in soccer matches can be documented for
both the Premier and Secondary leagues of Brazilian
Knee Surgery at Orthopedic Soccer. The S̃o Paulo State Soccer Federation is
and Traumatological Clinic
implementing a similar system in the state of S̃o
(COT), Salvador-Bahia-Brazil Paulo”.
Master in Orthopedics from
the University of S̃o Paulo Despite the fact that the thigh is usually the spot

(IOT HC FMUSP)
of highest incidence of lesions, knee injuries are
the most common among severe ones, leading to

The FIFA World Cup 2014 will be hosted by Brazil. a longer period of absence, highlighting the ACL
(anterior cruciate ligament) as the most frequently
As it approaches the preparations are intensifying in
the country, where soccer is the most popular sport. injured ligament. It usually occurs due to non-contact
mechanisms, which are perceived as incapacitating.
Soccer is a sport that involves great physical contact
and also short, quick and continuous movements This leads to surgical treatment, keeping the athlete
away from competitions for at least 4 months.
such as acceleration, deceleration, change of During a professional soccer league season in Brazil,
direction, jumps and pivots. With the increasing
more than 5/6 of the athletes have some sort of
number of games and tournaments held in Brazil, the injury and the average number of injuries per athlete
consequence is that a significant incidence of injuries
is almost two in a season. Thus, as demonstrated
occurs as well. Their rate has been estimated at 70.7 by Raymundo JLP et al, efforts should be made to
per 1,000 game hours, as demonstrated in a study
during the 2011 Copa Aḿrica (America Cup)–The promote the implementation of mechanisms which
can prevent these injuries. Promoting pre-season
Latin America national teams championship.
sessions is crucial to the preparation of the athletes
Due to the World Cup, the training routine of the in regard to strength gain and optimal physical
soccer players significantly increases. This fact, along performance. This measure significantly contributes

with the number of local competitions, has caused to the prevention of injuries, as stated by Heidt et al.
equally serious concern with the amount of injuries In the literature, several risk factors and prevention

those athletes end up suffering, which may keep measures are found, and previous injuries and
them away from work.
inadequate rehabilitation are identified as risk factors

Cohen et al while studying eight Brazilian professional for the occurrence of future injury. Recurrent lesions
to athletes make up to 25% of cases. Medical
soccer teams in a period of two years showed that
72% of the lesions occur in the lower limb, 16% to teams, concerned with the distancing of professional
athletes, have intensified their participation to prevent
the head and trunk and 6% in the upper limbs, with
a predominance of thigh injuries with 34.5%, ankle it from occurring. Technological advances have
joints by 17% and knee joints at 11.8%. Among the occurred in the last decade and have been relevant
when it comes to the physical preparation of these
injuries that require temporary removal, the muscle
lesions are the most frequent, with 39.2% of cases, athletes, and have resulted in greater demand at their
peak performance.
while fractures and swellings represent only 5.4%.
The highest incidence of injuries happen to players

who perform in midfield and forward positions, and
the injuries accounted for 39% of all injuries, being

followed by contractures, strains and sprains.

As commented Dr. Andre Pedrinelli, from the First
FIFA Excellence Medical Center, Sports Medicine

group at the University of S̃o Paulo’s Institute
of Orthopedics and Traumatology: “Logically, the
concept of prevention should not be restricted to

strength and balance exercising only, but also to
soccer players’ regular clinical exams. This becomes

an active search for possible risk factors.

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26 ISAKOS NEWSLETTER 2013: Volume II