Immediate Effects of Two Semi-occluded Vocal Tract Exercises

Immediate Effects of Two Semi-occluded Vocal Tract Exercises on Laryngeal Activity of Individuals With Constant Vocal Effort

This study aims to observe the physiological effects of two different Semi-occluded vocal tract (SOVT) exercises in the larynx when they are executed by individuals with constant vocal effort and without vocal pathology.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Voice
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Resonance tube; Other: Tongue trill

Detailed Description

SOVT is a voice education or rehabilitation method that involves different postures which partially occlude or elongate the vocal tract. It causes a change in the vibration pattern of the vocal folds. SOVT postures have been postulated to produce changes in contact quotient (CQ), measured with electroglottograph (EGG). This study aims to observe the physiological effects of two different SOVT exercises in larynx when they are executed by people with constant vocal effort and without vocal pathology. In order to do so, EGG will be performed before and after 43 volunteers execute two SOVT exercises (tongue trill and resonance tubes). The following parameter will be captured: CQ. A t-paired test will be performed to compare pre and post-test information. Furthermore, a generalized estimating equation will be fit to find the effects of each exercise in the subjects.

This protocol was modified due to different administrative issues related to the use of the stroboscopy (one of the assesment tools previosly considered), so that stroboscopy was removed from the protocol.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 43

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Colombia
  • Bogotá, Colombia, 111321
    • Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 25 years to 45 years (ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: Male

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy university teachers despite constant vocal effort, without past voice training or therapy.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• No current or past history of voice disorders.
• No current or past voice training or therapy.
• Vocal use larger than 20 hours per week.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Laryngeal pathology during execution of stroboscopy.
• Flu-like symptoms during measures.
• Trouble with execution of semi-occluded vocal tract exercises.
• Allergy to electrodes.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Intervention / Treatment

Group 1; 43 participants will produce the vowel /a:/ three times as baseline during 5 seconds in habitual, comfortable speaking pitch and loudness. Thereafter, participants will produce series of a semi-occluded vocal tract exercises (resonance tube or lip trill). Afterwards, subjects will produce the vowel /a:/ three times once again. Electroglottographic signals will be captured before and after each exercise. A 15 minutes voice rest will be taken between exercises by all subjects.

Other: Resonance tube; Participants will phonate into a tube (10cm length 4mm inner diameter) during 5 minutes. They will produce series of the vowel /u/ into the tube. They will be asked to maintain the same pitch and loudness as they did in the baseline samples. They will be perceptually controlled by experimenters. When performing the exercise, the participants will be instructed to phonate with ease voice and to sense vibrations in the anterior face and the mouth.; Other: Tongue trill; Participants will produce series of a similar /r/ Spanish sound during 5 minutes. They will be asked to maintain the same pitch and loudness as they did in the baseline samples. They will be perceptually controlled by experimenters. When performing the exercise, the participants will be instructed to phonate with ease voice and to sense vibrations in the anterior face and the mouth.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Contact quotient (CQ)	Improvement of vocal folds vibration pattern, demonstrated by a decrease of the mean CQ, measured with Electroglottography.	1 hour

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Universidad Nacional de Colombia
• Investigators: Study Director: Luisa F Ángel Gordillo, Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (ACTUAL): August 16, 2018
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): January 31, 2019
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): February 28, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 18, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 25, 2018
• First Posted (ACTUAL): January 29, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ACTUAL): May 13, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 12, 2021
• Last Verified: May 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: voice therapy; Semi-occluded vocal tract; resonance tubes; tongue trill
• Other Study ID Numbers: 012-210-18

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No