Daily Times

The study states that music therapy can benefit youngsters with brain injuries to improve their walking speed and quality of movement. New pilot research has found that a music therapy strategy may help youngsters with severe acquired brain injuries (ABI) meet their walking recovery goals. The first of its kind research project suggests rhythmic auditory stimulation could augment the physiotherapy ordinarily offered to children and young people who sustain a severe acquired brain injury – of whom there are believed to be around 350 each year in the UK. The practice aims to improve walking speed and quality of movement by using rhythms to provide cues for patients’ stepping rate. In establishing neurological connections between the auditory prompts and physical movements, the technique has been shown to facilitate smoother and more coordinated walking patterns.