Estratégias de prevenção para a pubalgia em atletas de futebol

Introduction: Athletic pubalgia is a prevalent condition in soccer players, accounting for 64% to 69% of groin injuries in this population. It is characterized by pain in the inguinal region radiating to the medial thigh or lower abdomen, resulting from biomechanical imbalance between adductors, rectus abdominis and posterior inguinal wall, aggravated by repetitive movements such as cutting, running and kicking. Objective: To analyze prevention strategies for pubalgia in soccer athletes, comparing unidimensional and multidimensional approaches at primary and secondary prevention levels. Methodology: This is a narrative literature review, with a time frame from 2014 to 2026, conducted in the PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, PEDro, LILACS and BVS databases. After applying eligibility criteria, 8 studies were selected for analysis, including randomized clinical trials and systematic reviews. Results: Unidimensional adductor strengthening programs, especially the Copenhagen exercise, demonstrated greater preventive efficacy, with up to 41% reduction in injury prevalence. Multicomponent programs, such as FIFA 11+ and FUNBALL, showed heterogeneous results and, at times, no statistical significance for groin outcomes. Secondary prevention, represented by the modified Hölmich protocol, proved effective in accelerating return to sport and reducing recurrences. Conclusion: The specificity of the preventive stimulus appears to be more decisive than the comprehensiveness of the protocol, recommending the systematic incorporation of eccentric adductor exercises into training, combined with periodic clinical assessment.