INTRODUCTION: Stretching exercises are commonly used in rehabilitation and sports and are extensively studied, although, their effects on sports performance and injury prevention is controversial Thus, the purpose of this manuscript was to review current knowledge about stretching implications on sports performance and to prevent skeletal muscle lesions. METODOLOGIA: The research was made on Medline, LILACS, PubMed e Cochrane, in the period between 1990 to 2008, thought 3 key-words combinations: "stretching and skeletal muscle and duration and frequency" (group I); "stretching and skeletal muscle and performance" (group II), and "stretching and skeletal muscle and injury and prevention" (group III). RESULTS: Both groups I and II were used 17 papers and the group III 26 articles. The eligibility criteria was according to the paper title and abstract and also because it was not included health subjects or relation to stretching exercise, performance and injury prevention CONCLUSION: It was found some studies that demonstrated the acute effect of stretching impair in the muscular performance and also did not prevent muscle injury. However, chronic stretching developed performance gains and decrease muscular wound in long terms. It is supposed that there are other mechanisms, probably involved with the warm up to explain the decrease in the injury incidence and improving physical performance.

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