Ultrasound Evaluatıon of Muscle Movement During Swallowing Maneuvers: Trials on 3 Maneuvers

Ultrasound (US), a technology extensively utilized and deemed safe for medical purposes, represents an innovative approach that has recently been applied in the evaluation of swallowing functions as well as in the rehabilitation processes. Therapeutic interventions often prioritize swallowing maneuvers as preferred options. Nevertheless, the current body of literature indicates that the application of ultrasound in the assessment and treatment of swallowing disorders remains limited, with a scarcity of studies investigating muscle activation and laryngeal elevation during these swallowing maneuvers. This research seeks to compare the movements and timing of the floor of the mouth muscles across various age and gender demographics, while also aiming to procure quantitative data on hyoid-laryngeal convergence during the maneuvers, thereby substantiating the implementation of US in conjunction with three commonly employed swallowing maneuvers for the intervention of disorders affiliated with the oropharyngeal phase of swallowing. The results indicate that the duration of swallowing maneuvers tends to increase with advancing age, with the Mendelsohn maneuver emerging as the most efficacious technique for hyoid-larynx convergence. Conversely, it was also observed that the Mendelsohn maneuver posed the greatest challenge for subjects in terms of cooperation. Consequently, this study demonstrates that ultrasound can be effectively utilized during the execution of swallowing maneuvers, while also providing valuable insights into muscle activation associated with these interventions.