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Updated: Oct 28, 2026
Investigating the Three-dimensional Flow Separation Induced by a Model Vocal Fold Polyp
Published on: February 3, 2014
Thoracoabdominal Displacement During Semioccluded Vocal Tract Exercises With Different Levels Of Airflow Resistance:
Marco Guzman1, Felipe Cerda Sandoval2, Gerson Jara Cabrera3
1Universidad de los Andes, Santiago, Chile.
Objectives:
This study aimed to determine the degree of thoracic and abdominal displacement during phonation with different semioccluded vocal tract exercises (SOVTEs) with varying levels of airflow resistance, compared with an open vocal tract condition.
Methods:
Thirty vocally healthy adults participated in the study. Six SOVTEs were assessed: Acapella Choice with minimum and maximum resistance, water resistance tube (WRT) submerged 3 cm and 10 cm below the water surface, drinking straw phonation in air, and the hand-over-mouth technique. Sustained vowel [a:] was used as the control condition. Thoracoabdominal movements were captured using a three-dimensional motion capture system with reflective markers placed on thoracic and abdominal landmarks. Four dependent variables were analyzed: right and left thoracic anteroposterior displacement and right and left abdominal anteroposterior displacement. Data were analyzed using mixed-effects models, followed by Tukey-adjusted post hoc comparisons.
Results:
Significant treatment effects were observed only for thoracic displacement variables. For right thoracic displacement, Acapella minimum resistance, Acapella maximum resistance, and WRT at 10 cm showed significantly higher values than [a:]. For left thoracic displacement, Acapella minimum resistance, Acapella maximum resistance, WRT at 10 cm, and hand-over-mouth were significantly higher than [a:]. No statistically meaningful treatment differentiation was observed for abdominal displacement variables.
Conclusion:
SOVTEs with higher airflow resistance appear to elicit greater thoracic, but not abdominal, displacement during phonation in vocally healthy individuals. These preliminary findings suggest that SOVTEs differ in their respiratory demands and that airflow resistance may influence thoracic adjustments during voice production.
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