Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 14, 2026

An Implantable System For Chronic In Vivo Electromyography
Published on: April 21, 2020
The putative involvement of the transabdominal muscles in dysphonia: a preliminary study and thoughts
J S Rubin1, I Macdonald, E Blake
1Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital, Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust, London, UK. johnrubin@tiscali.co.uk
Objectives/Hypothesis:
Real-time ultrasound was used as an adjunct to assess patterns of periabdominal musculature in 14 individual with dysphonia and muscle tension dysphonia.
Materials:
Fourteen individuals with muscle tension dysphonia were evaluated with real-time ultrasound as a part of their initial evaluation and management.
Results:
In 13 of 14 individuals, there was an imbalance found during phonation between the transversus abdominis muscles (TAs) and internal oblique muscles (IOs), whereby the IOs were found to be overactive and the TAs underactive. After physiotherapy, this pattern was reversed.
Conclusion:
The abdominal muscle pattern of overactivity of the internal oblique and underactivity of the TA during phonation was found to be present in the large majority of patients in this pilot sample who had presented with muscle tension dysphonia. The significance of this is unclear but deserves further review.
Related Concept Videos
Assessment of Airway, Skin Color, and Use of Accessory Muscles
Introduction
The initial evaluation of a patient's respiratory system...
Larynx
Anatomy of the Larynx
The larynx consists of various components, including cartilage, muscles, and vocal cords. Its structure includes three large unpaired cartilages—the thyroid, cricoid, and epiglottis—and three smaller paired cartilages—the arytenoids, corniculates, and...
Muscles of the Anterior Neck
Muscles of the Thorax
The diaphragm is at the core of thoracic musculature, the primary muscle involved in breathing. This expansive, dome-shaped muscle marks the division between the thoracic and abdominal cavities. It originates...
Mechanism of Breathing III: The Accessory Muscles
The respiratory system is a complex network that relies on primary respiratory muscles like the diaphragm, but also involves accessory muscles to enhance lung expansion and airflow during both inhalation and exhalation.
Enhancing Inhalation with Accessory Muscles:
Accessory muscles such as the sternocleidomastoid, scalene, intercostal, and abdominal muscles are crucial when additional respiratory effort is required, such as during deep...
Respiratory System Abnormal Finding II: Palpation and Auscultation
Palpation Findings
During a respiratory assessment, palpation can reveal several vital abnormalities:

