Evaluating the Impact of Mindfulness Based Physical Therapy on Burnout Syndrome Among University Students.

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether a mindfulness-based physical therapy intervention can reduce burnout syndrome and improve musculoskeletal pain and quality of life among undergraduate Allied Health Sciences students aged 18-30 years who are experiencing burnout symptoms, musculoskeletal pain, and reduced quality of life.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does a structured Mindfulness-Based Physical Therapy (MBPT) program reduce burnout symptoms compared to standard physical therapy alone?
• Does MBPT improve musculoskeletal pain and quality of life compared to standard physical therapy alone?

Researchers will compare a Mindfulness-Based Physical Therapy intervention group to a control group receiving a standardized physical therapy program to determine whether the addition of mindfulness techniques results in greater improvements in burnout, pain, and quality of life.

Participants will:

• Be randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group.
• Attend supervised 60-minute sessions three times per week for six weeks (total of 18 sessions).
• Receive a standardized baseline physical therapy program consisting of full-body active range of motion and general mobility exercises within pain-free limits.
• If assigned to the intervention group, receive structured mindfulness meditation, breathing exercises, posture correction, stretching, progressive muscle relaxation, and group reflection during each session.
• Complete 10-15 minutes of daily home mindfulness practice (intervention group only).
• Complete validated questionnaires at baseline and immediately after the 6-week intervention.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Burnout Syndrome
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Standard Physical Therapy; Behavioral: Mindfulness Based Physical Therapy

Detailed Description

Burnout and musculoskeletal pain are common issues affecting university students, often resulting from prolonged stress, poor posture, and high academic demands. Mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to reduce stress, enhance resilience, and improve mental well-being. Physical therapy interventions, including exercise and rehabilitative techniques, target musculoskeletal pain and functional limitations. Combining mindfulness with physical therapy may provide a holistic, non-invasive approach to improving both mental and physical health in students.

This study evaluates the impact of a structured Mindfulness-Based Physical Therapy (MBPT) program on burnout syndrome, musculoskeletal pain, and quality of life among undergraduate Allied Health Sciences students aged 18-30 years. Participants will engage in a six-week program supervised by trained professionals, incorporating mindfulness exercises, stretching, posture correction, progressive muscle relaxation, and home practice. The control group will receive standard physical therapy, allowing the study to assess the additional benefits of the mindfulness component.

The findings of this trial may provide evidence for a low-cost, integrative intervention that universities can implement to support student health and wellness. If effective, MBPT could serve as a model for combined mind-body programs, helping to reduce burnout, improve functional capacity, and enhance quality of life, potentially contributing to better academic performance and long-term health outcomes. This research addresses a gap in the literature on combined mindfulness and physical therapy interventions for university populations and may inform the development of future student wellness initiatives.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 55
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Pakistan
  • Punjab Province
    • Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan, 54000
      • University of Health Sciences

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• University Students aged 18-30 years enrolled in an undergraduate Allied Health Sciences program.
• Reporting burnout symptoms as assessed by the School Burnout Inventory (SBI).
• Having musculoskeletal pain in at least one body region during the past 7 days or past 12 months (Assessed by the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire).
• Having decline in the quality of life in at least one domain (physical, psychological, social, or environmental) (Assessed by the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Current diagnosis of any psychiatric disorder or taking any medicine.
• Current participation in another mindfulness, yoga or meditation intervention.
• Musculoskeletal injury requiring surgical or medical care.
• Student who has had major life upheavals recently, such as a family member loss.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Standard Physical Therapy (Control Group); The control group will receive a standardized baseline physical therapy program consisting of supervised full-body active range of motion exercises and general mobility exercises (shoulder rolls, arm swings, and pelvic tilts) throughout the study duration. All exercises will be performed within pain-free limit	Behavioral: Standard Physical Therapy; A supervised physical therapy program consisting of full-body active range of motion and general mobility exercises, including shoulder rolls, arm swings, and pelvic tilts, performed within pain-free limits.
Experimental: Mindfulness-Based Physical Therapy (MBPT); The intervention group will undergo a standardized baseline physical therapy program followed by a structured Mindfulness-Based Physical Therapy (MBPT) program delivered over six consecutive weeks, three supervised 60-minute sessions per week, under the guidance of a registered physical therapist. Participants will also be instructed to perform daily home practice for 10-15 minutes.	Behavioral: Mindfulness Based Physical Therapy; Mindfulness Based Physical Therapy is a structured program combining supervised physical therapy exercises with mindfulness practices. The intervention includes guided mindfulness meditation (body scan and breath awareness), diaphragmatic and paced breathing exercises, posture correction and ergonomic education, gentle stretching of the neck, shoulders, and back, and progressive muscle relaxation. Sessions are delivered three times per week for six weeks under the supervision of a registered physiotherapist. Participants are also instructed to complete daily home practice incorporating mindfulness and stretching techniques.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Burnout Score	The primary outcome is the change in student burnout, measured with the School Burnout Inventory (SBI), which evaluates three domains: exhaustion related to study demands, cynicism toward academic work, and sense of inadequacy as a student. Higher scores indicate greater burnout. The School Burnout Inventory is a nine item scale, that utilizes a 6- point Likert scale, resulting in a minimum total score of 9 and a maximum total score of 54. The study will assess the mean subscale scores at baseline and Week 6. A decrease in scores indicates a reduction in burnout symptoms following the intervention.	Baseline and Week 6 (post-intervention)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Reduction in Musculoskeletal Pain	Musculoskeletal pain will be evaluated using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ), which assesses the presence and location of musculoskeletal pain or discomfort over the past 7 days and past 12 months. It is primarily a categorical screening tool reporting prevalence as "Yes" or "No" for symptoms in nine anatomical regions. Pain levels will be recorded at baseline and Week 6. A reduction in reported symptoms will indicate improvement due to the intervention.	Baseline and Week 6 (post-intervention)
Improvement in Quality of Life	Quality of life will be assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument (WHOQOL-BREF), which measures physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains. It is a 26 item scale in which raw scores are typically transformed into a linear scale ranging from 0 (minimum value) to 100 (maximum value). Higher scores indicate better quality of life. Scores will be collected at baseline and Week 6. An increase in domain scores will indicate improvement following the intervention.	Baseline and Week 6 (post-intervention)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Health Sciences Lahore
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Fansub Choudhary, University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 3, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): March 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): April 20, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 2, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 2, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): March 6, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 2, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 27, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Burnout Syndrome; Quality of life; Mindfulness; Physical Therapy; Randomized Controlled Trial; Burnout; Musculoskeletal pain; University students; Mindfulness interventions; Mindfulness Based Physical Therapy; MBPT
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Muscular Diseases; Behavioral Symptoms; Stress, Psychological; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Behavior; Signs and Symptoms; Burnout, Psychological; Musculoskeletal Pain
• Other Study ID Numbers: UHS/USERC-26/SEC/98

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No