Wind instrument playing requires adequate respiratory function and continuous control of air flow for the production of sound. Professional playing of a wind instrument may be considered to be continuous respiratory muscle training, with resultant improvement in lung function. Playing wind instruments, however, involves increased intra-abdominal and intrathoracic pressures that may predispose to chronic respiratory, or other diseases and cerebrovascular events. This review summarizes the literature concerning the lung function of wind instrument players, the diseases related to wind instrument playing and the use of wind instruments for the prevention and therapy of chronic airway diseases such as obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) syndrome and asthma.