New research suggests that music therapy could have a beneficial impact on aspects of gait in people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI).
The researchers looked at existing research in this area and merged the findings through a research process known as a meta-analysis. They reported that while research exists to suggest music therapy can help people with gait issues due to movement disorders, there is limited knowledge on the effect of music therapy on patients with TBI and SCI-related gait issues.
Completing their meta-analysis, the researchers concluded that music therapy had a positive effect on spatiotemporal aspects of gait in people with TBI and SCI. Spatiotemporal aspects of gait relate to aspects of walking such as step length, speed and number of steps in a specified time.
While the researchers concluded that music therapy could therefore possibly be a helpful intervention for people with gait issues following TBI and SCI, they commented on the limited quantity and quality of studies included in their meta-analysis and called for further research in this area.
To access the full paper and to find out more, visit www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/3/522.
Ghai, S. (2023). Does Music Therapy Improve Gait after Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury? A Mini Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Brain Sciences, 13(3), 522.
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