The Influence of High Physical Demand on the Occurrence of Major Muscle and Ligament Injuries in Professional Soccer Athletes: A Systematic Review.

Objective  The present systematic review aimed to investigate the influence of high physical demand on the increase in muscle and ligament injuries in professional soccer athletes. Methods  We analyzed scientific publications to determine the incidences of the main injuries, their causes and mechanisms, and their association with high physical demand. We compared amateur and professional players and assessed the effectiveness of FIFA11+ as a prevention alternative. Searches occurred on Scielo, Pubmed, and Google Scholar databases. The filters were the topic, publication date (last 5 years), and study relevance. The indexing terms were the following: Overuse , Calendar , Injuries , Muscular , Ligament , Athletes , Soccer , Football . We described the main data obtained to compare and analyze the results. This study complied with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement guidelines. Results  The query resulted in 24 articles published from 2019 to 2023. The high physical demand increased the risk of injuries. Most injuries occurred in the lower limbs. The most common injuries were strains, sprains, contractures, and ligament ruptures. FIFA11+ presented itself as a viable prevention alternative. Conclusion  We concluded that high physical demand increases the most frequent muscle and ligament injuries in professional soccer players, that is, strains, sprains, contractures, and ligament rupture, suggesting the FIFA11+ program as a prevention alternative.