Reducing the gap between science and clinic: lessons from academia and professional practice - part B: traditional vocal therapy techniques and modern electrostimulation and photobiomodulation techniques applied to vocal rehabilitation.
Mara Behlau, Anna Alice Almeida, Geová Amorim and 21 others
PMID 36000681WHAT IT FOUND
Traditional voice therapies like LSVT and Vocal Function Exercises have strong evidence for improving function.
Electrostimulation and photobiomodulation are promising adjuncts but lack sufficient proof to stand alone. Clinicians should prioritize traditional methods and use modern technologies cautiously as add-ons.
Key findings
01Traditional methods like LSVT and Vocal Function Exercises have the highest level of scientific evidence for improving vocal intensity and function.
02Electrostimulation is supported as an adjunct treatment for dysphonia, particularly when combined with traditional exercises, but evidence remains limited.
03Photobiomodulation is considered a potential adjunct for voice disorders, but it is not yet scientifically proven in this specific field and should not replace traditional therapy.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
This is a narrative review, not a systematic review, so it may reflect author bias in selecting which evidence to highlight. The evidence for modern techniques like photobiomodulation is largely extrapolated from other fields (physiotherapy, dentistry) or animal studies, not direct clinical trials in voice patients. The paper notes that research on electrostimulation suffers from small samples and heterogeneous methodologies, making definitive conclusions difficult. It does not provide new data or a meta-analysis, but rather summarizes existing literature and clinical opinions.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The paper is part of a publication from the Brazilian Society of Speech-Language Pathology.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the positive results from other health fields (like physiotherapy or sports medicine) as proof that photobiomodulation or electrostimulation works for voice disorders. The authors explicitly state that evidence for these technologies in vocal rehabilitation is preliminary, and they should only be used as adjuncts to traditional therapy, not as standalone treatments.