This study evaluated the impact of music therapy on motor movements for clients with cerebral palsy. It used a range of standardised assessments, such as the box block test and the 9-hole peg test, plus a dynamometer to see what difference music therapy could make over three months.

The clients participated in piano activities, using isolated fingers to work on muscle strength and dexterity. The music therapist designed a range of interventions to make the piano immediately accessible, by using colour codes, to ensure musical ‘knowledge’ was not a barrier to therapeutic results.

The results showed that compared to the control group, clients who participated in music therapy over just 3 weeks showed increase in the speed, sensitivity and smoothness of their fine and gross motor skills. There was no change to these movements in the control group.

“The effects of musical instrument training can extend beyond motor fields and function. We think that neurological music therapy may involve the entire CNS and trigger stronger sensorimotor interactions that lead to coordinated motor responses, unlike simple motor training”.

Music therapy works, because the music provides a distraction to the boring and unmotivating repetitive nature of simple motor training. The music drives the change, by making us ‘want’ to complete the necessary brain-building task.

“We believe that the “game” nature of this training adds a sense of accomplishment that makes the intervention satisfying”.

Reference:
Dogruoz Karatekin, B. and A. Icagasioglu (2021). “The effect of therapeutic instrumental music performance method on upper extremity functions in adolescent cerebral palsy.” Acta Neurologica Belgica 121(5): 1179-1189.