ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Sports Act. Living
Sec. Exercise Physiology
Volume 7 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fspor.2025.1637680
This article is part of the Research TopicNeurophysiological Basis of the Relationship between Core Stability and Human Movement: Implications for Sport and RehabilitationView all 6 articles
Short-and long-term effects of musculoskeletal health education: Evidence from the performing arts students
Provisionally accepted
- 1Matej Bel University, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
- 2Akademia umeni v Banskej Bystrici, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
- 3Univerzita Mateja Bela v Banskej Bystrici, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
- 4Regionalny urad verejneho zdravotnictva, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
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Background: Performing arts students (i.e., musicians), face elevated risks of performance-related musculoskeletal disorders due to prolonged exposure to static postures, repetitive movements, and lack of ergonomic education. While the benefits of musculoskeletal health education are established in sports, its application and long-term effects in performing arts education remain underexplored. This study aimed to evaluate both short-and long-term effects of musculoskeletal health education on dynamic spine function among female music students.Methods: Forty-four female music students from the Academy of Arts in Banská Bystrica participated in a non-randomized controlled study. Participants were divided into an experimental group (n = 28), which received 8-week musculoskeletal health education (2x/ week/ 45 minutes), and a control group (n = 16), which received no intervention. The education included theoretical and practical components focused on postural awareness and dynamic spine function. Spine mobility was assessed using standardized methods common in medical and physical therapy practice at three time points: pre-test, post-test, and follow-up. Statistical analysis was performed using non-parametric Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests, with significance set at p < .05.Results: The experimental group showed statistically significant improvements in all dynamic spine function tests post-intervention (e.g., Schober's: from 2.71 ± .81 cm to 5.60 ± .68 cm, p < .05) with partial retention at follow-up (4.03 ± .79 cm). Significant gains were also observed in Thomayer's test (from -7.46 ± 4.66 cm to -.78 ± 1.39 cm), indicating enhanced spine mobility. In contrast, the control group demonstrated significant declines across all parameters over time. Intergroup comparisons post-intervention and at follow-up revealed significantly better outcomes in the experimental group across all measures (p < .05), confirming the effectiveness of education. Conclusions: Musculoskeletal health education program led to significant short-and long-term effects on dynamic spine function in female music students. The results underscore the importance of integrating such programs into performing arts curricula to prevent musculoskeletal decline and promote health literacy. This study provides compelling evidence that musculoskeletal education, when embedded into arts training, is both a preventive and rehabilitative tool essential for sustaining the physical well-being of performing arts students.
Keywords: core stability, Health Literacy, playing-related musculoskeletal disorders, Postural awareness, Preventive education, Spinal mobility
Received: 29 May 2025; Accepted: 17 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Adamčák, Marko, Bartík and Kľocova Adamčáková. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Štefan Adamčák, Matej Bel University, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
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