Integrating Music Therapy with Physical Therapy for Motor Function and Quality of Life in Cerebral Palsy. A Narrative Review

Introduction: Cerebral Palsy refers to a group of neurological disorders that appear in infancy or early childhood, permanently affecting body movements and muscle coordination. As the most common cause of disability in children, cerebral palsy impacts mobility, posture, and motor skills. Physiotherapy has shown efficacy in improving motor abilities, while music therapy leverages therapeutic music applications to engage and modify cerebral processes. Combining physiotherapy and music therapy may yield synergistic benefits, offering comprehensive rehabilitation for individuals with cerebral palsy. This study synthesizes existing literature on the role of music therapy as an adjunct to conventional interventions. Methodology: The PubMed database was searched for articles published between 2013 and 2023, focusing on randomized controlled trials, experimental studies, and systematic reviews. Relevant Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms included music therapy, physiotherapy, cerebral palsy, rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS), and patterned sensory enhancement (PSE). Articles in non-English languages and abstracts without full text were excluded. Conclusion: Analysis of six articles revealed that music therapy, when combined with physiotherapy, improved motor function and quality of life for individuals with cerebral palsy. Music therapy emerged as a valuable component of rehabilitation, emphasizing its potential for clinical application. Keywords: Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation, Rehabilitation, Neurological Disorders, Therapeutic Music Applications