Impact of Barre Stretching Among Dental Hygiene Students

Summary

The healthcare profession of dental hygiene can be a highly stressful academic path and occupation. Physical stressors can quickly lead to postural disturbances and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) due to instrument grasping while under muscle tension, working with vibrating instruments, and performing repetitive micromovements. Chronic, high stress levels have the potential to lead to burnout, fatigue, and other health problems, which can impact a student's ability to perform well in their clinical rotations and didactic studies and may translate into their workforce experiences after graduation.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a relationship exists between Barre stretching and reported stress and pain levels among entry-level dental hygiene students.

This study will be a 6-week experimental randomized control trial (RCT) where participants will be assigned to a 15-minute Barre stretching and breathing video two times a week for the experimental group or control group. The continuous dependent variables in this study will be the reported stress levels and reported pain levels of the entry-level dental hygiene students. The independent variable will be the Barre stretching intervention. The participants will include students at two universities enrolled in an entry-level dental hygiene program as first-year students.

Baseline data collection for each participant will be obtained, and the study will be analyzed using descriptive statistics, a paired t-test and independent t-test. The statistical significance level will be set at p=0.05.

Conditions

• Musculoskeletal Disorders
• Stress Management
• Perceived Stress
• Reported Stress
• Perceived Pain
• Reported Pain

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Barre Stretching Intervention

The Barre stretching intervention will consist of a 15-minute recorded video session with static and isometric movements focused on the hands, wrists, shoulders, and neck combined with breathing exercises throughout each movement. A 15-minute Barre stretching video will be selected for this study because static and isometric stretching should be held for 10-15 seconds per movement and repeated 2-3 times for increasing blood flow and circulation which can improve heart rate variability (HRV), increase muscle suppleness in preparation for muscle activation through patient care, and reduce stress levels through regulation of the rate, depth, and pattern of breathing. The duration of 15-minutes provided the participants with adequate time to complete each stretching movement for a total of 45 seconds with 15 seconds rest between movements. There will be fifteen targeted stretching movements focused on the hands, wrists, shoulders, and neck region.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Idaho State University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-09-09

Primary Completion

2024-10-18

Completion

2024-10-18

Countries

• United States

Study Locations