RESUMO
Aims and objectives: To study effect of short-term movement therapy on levels of academic stress in female students studying in final year of physiotherapy. Methodology: A convenient sample of 50 final year female physiotherapy students was divided into two groups-group 1 (experimental group) and group 2 (control group) after obtaining informed consent. Academic stress level was measured using students academic stress scale (SASS) in both groups. Group 1 underwent 1 month training with movement therapy, three times per week for a duration of 45 minutes per session which included 10 minutes of stretching warm up exercises, 30 minutes of conditioning phase of free style dance movements at 75 to 80% age related heart rate max and 5 minutes of passive cool down. The control group was instructed to continue their routine activities. Students Academic Stress Scale was scored in both the groups after 1 month of training and thereafter movement therapy was discontinued. Students were scored again on SASS after 1 month of discontinuation of movement therapy. Results: Group 1 demonstrated statistically significant reduction (p = 0) in stress level after 1 month of movement therapy vs group 2, which did not show any change. In group I, after discontinuation of therapy, stress levels increased again though they remained lower than basal values. Group 2 maintained a fairly constant SASS score throughout the time duration. Conclusion: Movement therapy helped to reduce stress levels in students. There was some carry over effect after discontinuation of therapy.