Year: 2025 Volume: 27 Issue: a

Abstract:

Football is one of the most demanding team sports, as it requires a complex combination of technical skills and excellent physical fitness across various parameters. At the same time, due to the significant strain placed on the musculoskeletal system during both training and matches, football players are prone to musculoskeletal injuries. Therefore, supplementary training is recommended to prevent such issues. The aim of this narrative review was to investigate whether the Pilates method is effective in preventing musculoskeletal injuries in football players. A literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies, and articles focusing on traditional football or futsal were included. According to the findings of the present study, research on this topic is limited and highly heterogeneous, mostly involving amateur football players of both sexes and different ages, with all studies focusing exclusively on mat-based Pilates. Based on the synthesis of findings, Pilates exercises appear promising in preventing mechanical low back pain and indirectly preventing musculoskeletal injuries (e.g. muscle strains) by improving joint range of motion (ROM) and muscle flexibility. Specifically, the long-term effects of Pilates (practice for over a month) include reduced recurrence of low back pain, increased ROM of major lower limb joints (hip, knee, and ankle), and improved spinal ROM (flexion, extension, lateral flexion). However, further research is needed to confirm these findings, and future studies should also be conducted on professional football players.