Personalized interactive music systems for physical activity and exercise: exploratory systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Personalized Interactive Music Systems (PIMSs) are emerging as promising devices for enhancing physical activity and exercise outcomes. By leveraging real-time data and adaptive technologies, PIMSs align musical features, such as tempo and genre, with users’ physical activity patterns, including frequency and intensity, enhancing their overall experience.

Objective: This exploratory systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates the effectiveness of PIMSs across physical, psychophysical, and affective domains.

Methods: Searches across 9 databases identified 18 eligible studies, of which 6 (comprising 17 intervention arms) contained sufficient data for meta-analysis. Random-effects meta-analyses and meta-regression were performed to assess outcomes for physical activity levels, physical exertion, ratings of perceived exertion, and affective valence.

Results: Results showed significant improvements in physical activity levels (g=0.49, CI 0.07 to 0.91, P=.02, k=4) and affective valence (g=1.65, CI 0.35 to 2.96, P=.01, k=4), with faster music tempo identified as a significant moderator (P=.03). No significant effects were observed for ratings of perceived exertion (g=0.72, CI −0.13 to 1.58, P=.10, k=3) or physical exertion (g=0.78, CI −0.55 to 2.11, P=.25, k=5).

Conclusions: Substantial heterogeneity and limited study quality indicate the need for more robust, randomized controlled trials to establish the efficacy of PIMSs in diverse populations.

Trial Registration: PROSPERO (International Prospective Register of Systematic Review) CRD42023465941; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42023465941