The Impact of Inspiratory Muscle Training on Musicians: A Comprehensive Review

Inspiratory Muscle Training (IMT) has demonstrated benefi ts in diverse populations, particularly in improving respiratory muscle strength, endurance, and overall pulmonary function. For musicians, especially wind and brass instrumentalists and singers, optimal respiratory control is central to performance, yet research on IMT in this group remains limited. This review synthesises the existing literature on the role of IMT in enhancing respiratory function and performance outcomes in musicians. We conducted searches across multiple electronic databases like PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library using Mesh Terms IMT and musicians. The review considered outcomes including inspiratory muscle strength, respiratory endurance, breath control, tone stability, postural support, and perceived performance ease. Evidence indicates that IMT significantly increases inspiratory muscle strength and endurance. In musicians, these gains have been linked to improved breath control, sustained note production, tone quality, and reductions in performance-related fatigue. Findings from broader non-musician populations support IMT’s efficacy in enhancing lung function and postural stability; however, studies directly involving musicians are few, often limited by small sample sizes and methodological heterogeneity. IMT shows promise as a performance-enhancing and healthpromoting strategy for musicians, yet the evidence base is preliminary. Larger, rigorously designed, musician-specific studies are needed to establish the effectiveness and practical applications of IMT in musical training and performance.