Vocal Fold Vibratory Dose and Perceived Exertion Responses to the Fluid Interval Test for Voice (FIT-V): A Novel Vocal Loading Task Platform.
Christopher S Apfelbach, Mary Sandage, Katherine Verdolini Abbott
PMID 39244385WHAT IT FOUND
A new interval voice exercise caused similar overall effort ratings to loud reading but only half the vocal fold vibration.
Participants felt more strain in their chest and abdomen and less in their throat, suggesting this task loads the respiratory system while sparing vocal fold tissue.
Key findings
01The interval exercise tasks produced roughly half the vocal fold vibratory dose compared to continuous loud oral reading.
02Participants reported significantly higher overall perceived exertion in the resisted interval task compared to the non-resisted interval task and loud reading, despite the lower vocal fold dose.
03Perceived exertion was localized differently: the interval tasks caused more chest, abdominal, and lightheadedness sensations, while loud reading caused more throat and neck sensations.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The Ambulatory Phonation Monitor may have underestimated the actual vocal fold vibration during the interval tasks because the semi-occluded mouthpiece altered the acoustic signal, meaning the 'half dose' finding might be exaggerated. The study used healthy participants with no voice disorders, so it is unclear how patients with pathology would respond to the exertion or the device. Perceived exertion ratings varied widely between individuals, making it difficult to predict exactly how much effort a specific patient will feel. The loud reading task was continuous, while the interval tasks had built-in rest periods, so the difference in vibratory dose is partly due to less total time spent vocalizing.
Declared interests
The authors declare no competing financial interests or personal relationships. No external funding source is reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume the interval exercise is easier on the throat because the total vocal fold vibration was lower. The mechanical dose measurement may have been inaccurate due to the device, and the task still produced high overall perceived exertion, particularly in the respiratory system.