Muscle Activity and Aerodynamic Voice Changes at Different Body Postures: A Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Vocal Pedagogy
• Voice Science
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Body posture is crucial in voice training and therapy, but its effects on voice production are inconsistently documented.
• Standardized descriptions of postures, muscle activity, and voice changes are lacking in scientific literature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare electromyographical (EMG) activation of phonation-breathing muscles across four standardized body postures in experienced singers.
• To determine if specific body postures influence aerodynamic parameters, vocal pitch, and loudness.

Main Methods:

• Eight experienced singers performed standardized vocal tasks in four distinct body postures.
• A 3D-capture system quantified postural alignment.
• Surface electromyography (sEMG) measured muscle activity during phonation and breathing.
• Kruskal-Wallis tests analyzed sEMG and aerodynamic data across postures.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in sEMG activity, aerodynamic parameters, or loudness were found among the tested body postures.
• Vocal pitch (in semitones) showed significant differences on an unstable surface compared to upright, modified upright, and leaning postures.

Conclusions:

• The studied body postures did not significantly alter voice aerodynamics or phonation-breathing muscle activation in experienced singers.
• Further research is needed to explore body posture's role in voice therapy, particularly for individuals with voice disorders and no prior training.