Mental Singing Reduces Gait Variability More Than Music Listening for Healthy Older Adults and People With Parkinson Disease.

Participants heard the music before starting the mental singing trials, so the benefit might depend on that initial external pacing rather than working from a cold start in daily life. The study only measured short bouts of walking; it is unknown if the benefits persist over longer distances or if gait drifts back to baseline. Researchers monitored for lip movement but could not verify if subtle vocal cord movements occurred during 'mental' singing. The study used a single familiar song ('Row, Row, Row Your Boat'), so results may not generalize to other music or complex rhythmic tasks.

Do not assume mental singing is a standalone treatment for gait disorders in the real world. The participants in this study heard the song before walking, which may have primed their rhythm. It remains unclear if they could achieve the same variability reduction without that initial auditory cue.