Immediate effects of the high-pitched blowing vocal exercise.

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the immediate effects of the high-pitched blowing vocal exercise.

Methods: This is a comparative observational study. Participants were 46 women with ages between 25 and 45 years, who were divided into two groups: 23 individuals with vocal complaint (VCG), and 23 without vocal complaint (WVCG). The procedures included vocal auditory-perceptual analysis, acoustic analysis, videostroboscopy, and vocal self-assessment before and after ten repetitions of the high-pitched blowing vocal exercise. The auditory-perceptual analysis and the assessment of the laryngeal configuration images were carried out by three speech-language pathologists, who performed the blind analysis of two vocal samples of each subject, marking the best sample. The acoustic parameters measured were fundamental frequency, jitter and shimmer in sustained vowel, and fundamental frequency in speech. For the vocal self-assessment, participants were asked the question: "How do you think your voice is after the exercise?".

Results: Both groups presented better voice quality in the auditory-perceptual analysis after the exercise. In the acoustic analysis, shimmer values reduced for both groups, and jitter values reduced only for the WVCG post-exercise. It was observed increase of the fundamental frequency in the VCG in the sustained vowel. The videostroboscopy showed better glottal closure and less vestibule involvement for both groups after the exercise. Vocal self-assessment indicated better voice emission post-exercise in the VCG.

Conclusion: The high-pitched blowing vocal exercise produces positive immediate effects observed in auditory-perceptual, acoustic, and laryngeal analyses and in vocal self-assessment.