Does playing a wind instrument or singing improve respiratory function?
13th April 2017
Researchers at the Cicely Saunders Institute are investigating possible new treatments for patients with breathlessness. They decided to look at whether singing or playing a wind instrument provides better symptom control. The study published in the Journal of Music Therapy did find a trend towards improved respiratory function. But only one study, on Parkinson’s disease, had significant between-group differences.
Many long-term neurological conditions adversely affect respiratory function. Singing and playing wind instruments are relatively inexpensive interventions with potential for improving respiratory function. Researchers undertook a systematic review of published randomized controlled trials and observational studies examining singing or playing wind instruments to improve respiratory function in individuals with long-term neurological conditions.
68 full texts were reviewed and five studies included. These concerned 109 participants but were low-quality due to evidence of bias. However the positive trend in respiratory function following music therapy merits further investigation.
Ang K, Maddocks M, Xu H, Higginson I, The Effectiveness of Singing or Playing a Wind Instrument in Improving Respiratory Function in Patients with Long-Term Neurological Conditions: A Systematic Review. J Music Ther (2017) 54 (1): 108-131. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmt/thx001