Changes in Thoracolumbar Spine Following the 10-Week Physical Program in Students of Performing Arts

<ns3:p>Introduction: Students of performing arts, in particular, music students, are vulnerable to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) because of prolonged static postures and asymmetrical loading associated with instrument playing.Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of 10-week physical program in improving thoracolumbar spine in female university-level students of performing arts.Materials and Methods: A true experimental design was used with 25 female students of performing arts, divided into an experimental group (n = 15, 60%) and control group (n = 10, 40%). Pre- and post-intervention evaluations were conducted using Schober’s, Stibor’s, and Otto’s tests. Non-parametric statistical analyses were applied. This work was supported by the Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic – Grant No. 1/0512/24: Epidemiology of Musculoskeletal Disorders in Students of Performing Arts.Results: The experimental group showed statistically significant improvements in all three spinal function tests: Schober’s (from 3.06 0.60 cm to 5.40 0.82 cm), Stibor’s (from 6.46 0.64 cm to 9.20 0.86 cm), and Otto’s (from 4.12 0.98 cm to 5.86 0.36 cm), all with p < 0.01. No changes were observed in the control group. Between-group comparisons at Week 10 confirmed significant functional improvements in the experimental group (all p < 0.01).Conclusions: 10-week physical program significantly enhanced thoracolumbar spine (function) in students of performing arts. These findings suggest that low-cost, targeted interventions can effectively address posture-related musculoskeletal risks in this population and should be integrated into performing arts curricula.</ns3:p>