Vocal Function Exercises
Major focus area
Speech Therapy -> Voice
Short description
This is a program of systematic exercises that strengthen and rebalance the subsystems involved in voice production (respiration, phonation, and resonance).
Long description
Vocal function exercises: This is a program of systematic exercises that strengthen and rebalance the subsystems involved in voice production (respiration, phonation, and resonance).
Vocal function exercises:
Method/Example:
1. Sustain /i/ vowel for as long as possible. The goal is for /i/ to equal the longest /s/ that the patient is able to sustain. This is produced softly but not breath and the voice must be engaged. This is considered the warm up.
2. Say the word “knoll” glide from the lowest note to the highest note with no voice breaks. Glides improve muscular control and flexibility and are considered a stretching exercise.
3. Say the word “knoll” from the highest note to lowest note with no voice breaks and no growl. This is considered a contracting exercise.
4. Sustain musical notes C,D,E,F, and G as long as possible on the word “knoll” minus the “kn”. The “oll” at different notes is considered a low impact adductory power exercise. Exercises include maximum vowel prolongations and pitch glides using specific pitch and phonetic contexts. Vocal functional exercise is necessary to regain the balance among airflow, to this laryngeal muscle activity, to the supraglottic placement of the tone.
Indications: Vocal fold lesions, Muscle tension dysphonia, Hypophonia (weak voice).