Appendix B: Use Of Music Therapy And The Biodex Gait Trainer - biodex 950-401 Application/Operation Manual

Appendix B: Use of Music Therapy and the
Biodex Gait Trainer
About the Author
Hope Young, MT-BC has been a music therapist for more than 25 years. The Center for Music
Therapy was founded in 1990 to make music therapy more accessible to the Central Texas
area. She focused on working with children, adolescents, adults and geriatric patients.
The center is also the first and oldest for profit music therapy facility in the world designed
specifically designed to treat neurologic movement conditions and disorders through music. In
its long history, the Center for Music Therapy has provided services for many area hospitals
including St. David's Hospital and Warm Springs Rehabilitation Hospital as well as facilities in
Austin, San Antonio, Houston, and Corpus Christi. All of the music therapists are certified by
the Certification Board for Music Therapists and our physical therapist by the State of
Texas. The Center for Music Therapy is a licensed physical therapy facility by the State of
Texas.
Introduction to Music Therapy
A relationship between music and healing has been acknowledged as far back as early
civilization. The notion that music can influence health and promote healing dates back
centuries. The 20th century music therapy discipline began after World War II. Doctors and
nurses noted the patients' responses to music and music programs. They then began to set up
music plans to help patients regain movement. This occurred in facilities all throughout the
country. Over the last 50 years music therapy has gained increasing popularity in the medical
field, schools and recreational programs. Today many medical and rehabilitation facilities offer
music therapy as one of their treatment modalities.
The idea of a preventive approach to health became popular in the 1970's. Music therapy
gained further momentum. The gaining acceptance for the practice and use of music therapy
to help with motor function and healing is in part due to the writings of various authors
explaining the biological foundations between neuroscience and music therapy. Today there
are many approaches to music therapy combined with clinical applications that assist in
restoring movement in all populations.
The desired end result for this performance program is directed towards assisting patients in
regaining their independence as well as their ability to participate in activities that are
important to them. This performance plan utilizes current concepts which link movement and
music to help gain neuromuscular control.
Concepts
Rhythmic Auditory Stimulus (RAS)
A technique that facilitates movements that are intrinsically rhythmical in a repetitive pattern;
such as gait. This technique uses music as an external cue to regulate the body's movement in
time and allows patients to become in tune with their own rhythm. It typically occurs during
closed-chain gait activities
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