Abstract:

Introduction: Football is a continually developing sport, especially in relation to the intensity of the game and increasing physical demands. Their practice requires specific capabilities that are independent of the field position. This increases the risk of injury, being a cause of concern on the part of the bodies responsible for the modality. Objective: To analyze the epidemiological profile of injuries suffered by professional football athletes. Methods: This is an observational, descriptive study using medical records. It was held at Serra Talhada Futebol Clube and data collection took place from December 2012 to April 2013, corresponding to the preseason and competition. The following data were analyzed: age; position; Injury suffered; Body segment affected; Time away; mechanism; And moment of occurrence. Results: During the analyzed period, the occurrence of 27 injuries that affected 20 of the 34 athletes participating in the study was verified. There was a higher incidence of lesions in the lower limbs (92.6%), especially in the thigh (48%), with muscle injuries (distension, 59.3%, and muscle cramps, 14.8%) being the most prevalent. It was found that the severity (4-7 days with a 44.5% percentage) of these lesions was higher than the available literature on the subject. Final considerations: This greater time of absence found, further testifies to the importance of integrating physiotherapists to the technical teams of football clubs, so that they act not only in rehabilitation but also in injury prevention.

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