Effects of a music-accompanied multimodal exercise program on trunk endurance, stress, and anxiety in university students: a randomized controlled trial.
Emine Merve Ersever, Osman Şenol Yıldız, Emre Ersöz
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In 30 seconds
This randomized controlled trial evaluated a 12-week, music-accompanied program combining core stabilization, diaphragmatic breathing, and relaxation in 80 university students assigned to intervention or waitlist control. The program was delivered four times weekly under physiotherapist supervision. Compared with waitlist, the intervention showed significant group-by-time effects for perceived stress (η2p=0.148, d=0.82), state anxiety (η2p=0.122, d=0.74), left and right lateral trunk endurance, and trunk flexor endurance. Trunk extensor endurance did not show a significant group-by-time interaction. The waitlist design could not determine music’s specific contribution.
Key findings
- Perceived stress favored intervention over waitlist (η2p=0.148, d=0.82).
- State anxiety favored intervention over waitlist (η2p=0.122, d=0.74).
- Lateral trunk endurance improved on both sides: left lateral plank (η2p=0.052, d=0.46) and right lateral plank (η2p=0.078, d=0.57).
- Trunk flexor endurance favored intervention (η2p=0.123, d=0.74); trunk extensor endurance showed no significant interaction.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that a supervised program integrating core exercise with breathing and relaxation may address both trunk endurance and stress-related outcomes in university students. This is relevant because the intervention combines physical and psychophysiological targets, although the trial does not establish which program components account for the observed effects.
What to keep in mind
Assessors were not blinded, and the waitlist design does not isolate music’s contribution from the other intervention components.