Effects of meditation and/or relaxation combined with biofeedback in the context of motor rehabilitation: scoping review

Abstract

Introduction: Recently, the integration of meditation and relaxation techniques, complemented by biofeedback, has gained attention in clinical psychology. This non-pharmacological and non-invasive approach utilizes biofeedback to allow individuals to monitor their physiological functions, enhancing the practice of meditation or relaxation and strengthening the mind-body connection, with the potential to also be applied in motor rehabilitation. Objective: To investigate the existing scientific literature on the effects of biofeedback, associated with meditation/relaxation, in any context of motor rehabilitation. Methodology: The databases used were Pubmed, EBSCO HOST, and CENTRAL, using the PRISMA-ScR methodology. The inclusion criteria were: combined interventions of meditation/relaxation with biofeedback in the context of motor rehabilitation, language restriction (Portuguese, English, Spanish, French), publications containing variable manipulation, without time restrictions. Results: Six studies were selected, including two controlled and randomized studies, two case series studies, one systematic review, and one case study. All studies reported the combination of biofeedback with relaxation techniques, with no references to meditation. The methodological quality varied, with some studies demonstrating good methodological rigor, such as the randomized studies, while others consisted of descriptive investigations with less methodological robustness. Conclusions: There are indications that the combination of relaxation techniques with biofeedback may have effects on some aspects of motor rehabilitation for various patient populations. However, more research is needed in this area, as well as on the combination of meditation with biofeedback.