Anyone else hype themselves up for a day of patients by throwing on one of their favorite playlists on the way to work? Or leave a rough day at the clinic behind by playing one on the way home? To be honest I always wish I was more musically inclined. Your girl could play some sports, but never learned to play an instrument or was able to carry a tune.
If I’m being honest though music basically runs my life. I use it constantly to set me up for my day or whatever I’m doing at the moment. Even as I’m writing this right now, I have some music going to get and keep me in the zone.
Some of us might work in places where music is frequently playing in the background. That background music may be providing some good vibes in the clinic, but turns out there’s a lot of other reasons and ways to use music to elevate our PT practice. I was inspired by the Instagram trend going around of “what songs would you play in your clinic?” to talk about the benefits of incorporating music into PT sessions.
Music for Motivation & Engagement
Using music to motivate or engage patients in a PT session is probably the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about using music in PT. Most of us use it to get that good endorphins hit to motivate us through a workout. During a workout you best believe I’m popping my playlist on to get me a little more amped. If I accidentally leave my headphones at home, my workout just isn’t as good and I’m definitely a little pissed.
If I feel patients are extra tired or are continually disengaged during sessions I will “casually” suggest we put on some music. I always ask them what they listen to. It’s a good report builder and they’ll choose something they like that will motivate them. I don’t think this trick has honestly ever failed me. The patient always seems to complete exercises with a little more energy or is more “in the zone” throughout the session.
I have found this to be ESPECIALLY beneficial for my elderly clients, even those suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia. When I worked in LTC I definitely got a throughout the ages music education. For a patient who’d normally struggle to stay awake during treatment, I’ve seen the Rolling Stones keep the patient awake AND engaged for the entire time. I’ve seen Janis Joplin turn partial stands into full stands. And I’ve seen the Beatles fuel longer walks than what the patient had ever previously done.
Music for Calming the Nervous System
Just like we use music to amp someone up for a session, we can also use it to have the opposite effect. There’s a lot more talk and use of activating the parasympathetic nervous system in physical therapy, especially when it comes to chronic pain. For the patient that is hypersensitive, calming, slow-beat music can help us increase PNS activity and we then use that to our advantage in pain control.
Where I work, our gym unfortunately tends to not always be the most calming environment. It’s busy, it’s loud, and there’s only a couple places we can go where all the craziness is completely blocked out. I normally HATE it when patients have earbuds in during a session, but in certain situations I encourage it at least for maybe part of the session.
When I know I’ll be doing manual therapy or needling on a patient with an elevated nervous system, I will often give them the option to put on a calming or “feel-good” playlist. For many of my chronic pain patients I recommend they play calming music during stretching or deep breathing routines. Many report that they keep the music on after their routines and this helps! It’s often a good gateway into meditation for people which has also been shown to be beneficial for chronic pain. Sometimes calming the nervous system can be just as beneficial as amping it up!
Music for Coordination
Lastly, music has shown to be very beneficial for patients with neurological disorders. There are several studies out there supportive of the use of music during PT when treating patients with Parkison’s disease. The beat of the music can be used to help with freezing, coordination, and movement amplitude. This study here found significant differences in Parkinson’s patients whose sessions included music versus those who didn’t. Many other patients with neurological conditions have issues with coordination and amplitude as well and could benefit from the use of music in their sessions.
Another population that seems to benefit a lot from using music in PT sessions is kiddos with neurological disorders. Here is just one of several articles I found supporting the use of music in PT with the pediatric population. Cerebral palsy seemed to be one of the more popular groups to use this with.
Whether using music for the young, old, or even ourselves it definitely seems to have its place in PT. What song really amps you up for your workout when you need it? Or what song calms you down when you need it? Do you have a go-to song when working with patients? Share in the comments! I would love to hear some of these.
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