Effects of Music Therapy on Perioperative Anxiety, Physiological Stress, and Postoperative Recovery in Patients Undergoing Knee Arthroscopy: a Randomized Controlled Trial

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of personalized music therapy on perioperative anxiety, physiological stress responses, postoperative pain, sedation, and recovery quality in patients undergoing knee arthroscopy. DESIGN: A prospective, randomized, double‐blind, controlled trial. METHODS: Sixty‐four American Society of Anesthesiologists I to III patients (aged 18 to 75 years) scheduled for elective knee arthroscopy were randomized to either a music therapy group (MTG, n = 32) or a control group (CG, n = 32). The MTG received personalized receptive music therapy during the preoperative holding phase and postanesthesia care unit (PACU) stay, while the CG wore identical headphones delivering silence. Outcomes included the State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory‐6, Numeric Rating Scale for pain, Observer's Assessment of Alertness/Sedation, Quality of Recovery‐15, and continuous physiological monitoring (blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation). FINDINGS: Compared with the CG, the MTG demonstrated significantly lower postoperative state anxiety scores (P < .001), reduced pain intensity across all postoperative timepoints (all P < .001), and shorter PACU stay (33.44 ± 4.30 vs 41.56 ± 7.77 minutes, P < .001). A greater proportion of MTG patients achieved full alertness in the PACU (96.9% vs 59.4%, P < .001). Quality of Recovery‐15 scores at 24 hours were also higher in the MTG (86.19 ± 3.05 vs 73.94 ± 6.49, P < .001). Additionally, the MTG exhibited more stable hemodynamic parameters throughout the perioperative period. CONCLUSIONS: Personalized music therapy is a safe and effective nonpharmacological intervention that reduces perioperative anxiety and pain, enhances physiological stability, accelerates postoperative emergence, and improves recovery quality in patients undergoing knee arthroscopy. Its integration into Enhanced Recovery After Surgery pathways may provide substantial benefits for perioperative care.