While learning a musical instrument, whether you go to a personal tutor, use an online service such as ours, or learn through reading a theory book, has been shown to boost brain development, particularly at a young age, what often isn’t explored is how learning a musical instrument can help those with physical disabilities.

Here are some of the ways that learning a musical instrument can help people that are in this situation.

It Can Act as a Distraction

It is common for those with disabilities to get down about themselves, particularly when they don’t have much to do in their lives.

Learning a musical instrument can be a great distraction; it is a brilliant way for anyone to lose themselves for a few hours and fully commit to something else without having a care in the world.  One of the great things about looking at musical instruments in general is that there are so many different types that individuals with disabilities will almost always be able to find something they’re able to do.

Playing Music can be a Form of Physiotherapy

Depending on a person’s disability, the instrument they play might act as a useful form of physiotherapy.

For example, in this inspiring story about a girl with cystic fibrosis, her father speaks of how playing the saxophone will act as a form of physiotherapy for her lungs.  To the same extent, playing the piano could help someone looking to develop their fine motor skills, and playing the drums could be good for someone that needs to keep constant action of their arms to prevent muscle atrophy.

Music can Restore Normality

It is often said that those that are most affected by physical disabilities from a mental perspective are those that have had an accident or suffered an injury having previously lived a healthy life.

For these individuals, music can be a great way to regain a sense of normality and ensure that social interactions remain high and that feelings of depression that may arise are kept under control.

While music is an obvious option to explore for those that previously played an instrument before an injury or accident, it is definitely worth looking at as a new hobby for those that didn’t.

Overall increases in confidence and self-esteem will also be seen as a result of embracing an opportunity to play an instrument.

Music and musical instruments are powerful in many ways and walks of life.  For those with disabilities, it can be a great way to focus on something and keep mentally healthy, while also ensuring you’re living the life you want.