Immediate Effects of Postural Repositioning on Voice Production Tasks in Seated Individuals With Acquired Dysarthria:

Immediate Effects of Postural Repositioning on Respiratory and Phonatory Tasks in Seated Individuals With Acquired Dysarthria: a Pilot Study

To determine the effectiveness of a single 10-min postural repositioning session on the maximum phonation duration in individuals with acquired dysarthria.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Acquired Dysarthria (Finding)
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: postural repositioning

Detailed Description

The impact of dysarthria goes beyond communication. However, there have been no clear directives guiding clinical practice to date, and despite increasing evidence directing treatment, research remains limited and predominantly consists of case studies or case series. Despite the importance of postural control in voice production, the effects of postural alignment on speech production efficiency are either little investigated or not at all explored in the dysarthric population. This study determined the effectiveness of a single 10-min postural repositioning session on the maximum phonation duration (MPD) in individuals with acquired dysarthria.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 10
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

**Participants with dysarthria Inclusion criteria

• sustained a stroke or traumatic brain injury
• diagnosed with dysarthria
• impaired postural control following a neurological injury
• are approaching the end of intensive rehabilitation or have finished intensive rehabilitation
• express a desire to participate in the research
• have the capacity to read.

Exclusion criteria

• had any cognitive impairment that could prevent them from understanding directives or from expressing their opinion about their posture A neurologist clinically assessed the cognitive function of PWDs

  **Control participants

• never diagnosed with dysarthria or any other voice impairment
• no comorbidities.
• no breathing deficits (e.g., asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
• no pathologies in the spinal cord, spinal column, or thoracic cage that could prevent them from freely moving their trunk
• no neurological or cardiac problems.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Postural repositioning

Other: postural repositioning; The 10-min transdisciplinary intervention aimed (1) to facilitate and activate axial extension during standing and then during sitting; (2) to actively mobilize the trunk, cervical spine, and pelvic and shoulder girdles during standing and then during sitting; and (3) to adjust the seated position, as needed, with supports to ensure its maintenance throughout the experiment. Cushion, balls, boxes, or rolls were used to stabilize the final seated position.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in maximum phonation duration	Production of the vowel 'a' as long as possible without running out of air	immediately before and after the 10 minute postural repositioning intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in trunk circumference in cm - Pre	Measure of the circumference of the trunk taken at the level of the xyphoid process using a measuring tape when the participants achieves maximal inspiration and maximal expiration. The difference in circumference between maximal inspiration and maximal expiration is subsequently calculated.	immediately before postural repositioning intervention
Change in manometry	time prolonged expiration	immediately before and after the 10 minute postural repositioning intervention
Change in EMG activation pattern	pattern of electromyographic activity of muscles in the neck and trunk	immediately before and after the 10 minute postural repositioning intervention
Change in trunk circumference in cm - Post	Measure of the circumference of the trunk taken at the level of the xyphoid process using a measuring tape when the participants achieves maximal inspiration and maximal expiration. The difference in circumference between maximal inspiration and maximal expiration is subsequently calculated.	immediately after the 10 minute postural repositioning intervention

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in the level of satisfaction of participants with their performance assessed using a questionnaire	Following completion of voice tasks, the participants will be asked to grade their perceived level of performance in each posture (before and after the postural repositioning intervention) using the NER-21 scale. The participants are instructed to judge their vocal performance on the performance scale	immediately before and after the 10 minute postural repositioning intervention
Change in the participant's perceived effort to perform the task using a questionnaire	Following completion of voice tasks, the participants will be asked to grade their effort in each posture (before and after the postural repositioning intervention) using the NER-21 scale. The participants are instructed to indicate the effort required to speak on the effort scale	immediately before and after the 10 minute postural repositioning intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 28, 2012
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 16, 2015
• Study Completion (Actual): July 16, 2015

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 14, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 18, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): August 20, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 20, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 18, 2020
• Last Verified: August 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: acquired dysarthria; corrected seated posture; maximum phonation duration; electromyographic patterns
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Nervous System Diseases; Neurologic Manifestations; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Language Disorders; Communication Disorders; Speech Disorders; Articulation Disorders; Dysarthria
• Other Study ID Numbers: PROJET CRIR-722-0312

Drug and device information, study documents

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