Musicoterapia e fisioterapia em processos terapêuticos integrados

Uma revisão integrativa

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Research Question/Problem

The development of interdisciplinary therapeutic practices has intensified in recent decades, accompanying the increasing complexity of healthcare demands. In the field of music therapy, there has been a growing expansion of clinical approaches that involve collaboration among different health professionals, thereby broadening the possibilities for therapeutic intervention (McFerran, 2023). In this context, the interface between music therapy and physiotherapy stands out, as the integration of techniques from both fields within collaborative therapeutic processes may support patients’ motor, social, and cognitive development.

Although some publications describe clinical experiences involving these two areas, the literature remains limited regarding the characterization of these practices, the protocols employed, and the therapeutic outcomes observed (Ramalho, 2025). Consequently, the ways in which collaborative processes between music therapists and physiotherapists occur in clinical contexts remain insufficiently investigated.

In light of this, the research question guiding this study is: How do interdisciplinary collaborative therapeutic processes involving music therapy and physiotherapy occur, and what impacts do they produce?

Objectives

To identify and analyze how interdisciplinary therapeutic processes involving the combination of music therapy and physiotherapy occur and to examine their clinical impacts. This study also aims to identify the terminology used to characterize these practices, the procedures adopted, the populations served, the models and techniques applied, and the main clinical outcomes reported.

Method 

An integrative literature review was conducted. Searches were carried out in academic databases and repositories, including SciELO, LILACS, Journal of Music Therapy, Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, Revista Brasileira de Musicoterapia, Voices, and Google Scholar. Descriptors in Portuguese, English, and Spanish related to music therapy, physiotherapy, interdisciplinarity, collaboration, and co-therapy were used.

Scientific articles, dissertations, and case studies describing therapeutic interventions involving joint practice between music therapists and physiotherapists were included. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, seven publications produced between 2006 and 2025 were identified.

Results and Main contributions

The studies analyzed were conducted primarily in the United States, as well as in Norway and Portugal, and consisted predominantly of clinical case studies. The interventions involved different populations, including individuals with stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Rett syndrome, cerebral palsy, and balance and coordination impairments resulting from neurological conditions.

A diversity of terminology was observed to describe these practices, including terms such as “co-therapy,” “combined intervention,” “collaborative treatment,” and “interdisciplinary program.” The therapeutic strategies involved different theoretical models, as well as music therapy techniques such as musical improvisation, musical re-creation, and procedures derived from Neurologic Music Therapy, combined with physiotherapeutic exercises aimed at gait training, balance, and motor coordination. Overall, the studies report improvements in motor, functional, cognitive, and communicative domains.

Conclusions and Implications

The findings indicate that the integration of music therapy and physiotherapy represents a promising approach within interdisciplinary therapeutic care processes. However, the existing literature remains limited and is largely based on case studies, highlighting the need for more systematic empirical investigations to deepen the understanding of these practices and to support the development of collaborative approaches aimed at promoting individuals’ development.