Maria Vaccaro Iwarsson, J. (2001). Effects of inhalatory abdominal wall movement on vertical laryngeal position during phonation.

Journal of Voice,15, No. 3, 384394. I. Introduction This study investigated the effects of two different inspiration techniques on the position of the larynx. One technique expands the abdomen, while the other expands the ribs and pulls the abdomen in slightly. The article explained the difference between these two techniques, as well as supposed advantages and disadvantages for both and how they are thought to affect the vertical laryngeal position (VLP). The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that inhalation with an expanding abdominal wall induces a lower position of the larynx in the neck during the subsequent phonation, as compared to inhalation with a paradoxical inward abdominal movement. This introduction gave plenty of information on the subject to prepare the reader to understand the experiment and purpose thereof. II. Methods The subjects were young and middle-aged adult men and women who were of normal body weight and healthy non-smokers and non-singers. This study used a respiratory inductive plethysmograph (RIP) equipped with elastic transducers placed around the rib cage and abdominal wall to measure movements of the rib cage and abdomen and changes in lung volume. It also used two-channel electroglottography to record the vertical laryngeal position (VLP) and an oscilloscope to display signals from the two devices, as well as microphone and recorder. The subjects performed isovolume maneuvers and maximum inhalations and exhalations to calibrate the equipment and determine vital capacity. They were then asked to inhale to 70% inspiratory capacity using two different inhalatory strategies (moving the abdomen inward and letting it expand) and phonate the vowel /a/ at a comfortable pitch. Each condition was repeated three times with breaths through the mouth, and the isovolume and vital capacity procedures were repeated after the experiment to ensure reliable lung volume signals. The article is very thorough in explaining the procedure of the experiment, and I am confident that it provides enough information to duplicate the experiment. The independent variables of this experiment are the gender of the subjects and the two different inhalatory strategies. The dependent variables are movements of the rib cage and abdomen, changes in lung volume, and VLP. III. Results

The general conclusive results of this study are stated clearly. This study was rather simple and straightforward, so multiple graphs and tables were not needed. However, the one graph the study did include is confusing and not very helpful. Two separate graphs, one for each inhalatory strategy, may have been more clear. The graph included in the article uses arbitrary scales, which only confused me rather than clearly displaying the results. The table included in the article displays the statistical significance of various calculations. However, the only part of it that is really needed is the first row; the others were not statistically significant and therefore not needed in the table. Again, a different table displaying the data in a different organization may have been more helpful. The study found that the VLP was higher for the abdomen-out condition than for the abdomen-in condition, contrary to expectations placed on the study before it began. Little difference was shown between the three replications of each condition and between genders. IV. Conclusion This study concluded that the elevated position of the larynx for the abdomen-out position could have been due to postural gestures associated with that strategy that affect the position of the larynx, rather than only the manner in which air was inspired. The scientists performed a post-hoc study to speculate further on this possibility. This study did generalize quite a bit; while their results were conclusive, their sample size was rather smallcertainly too small to make generalizations about entire populations or firmly reject a hypothesis, as they suggest. However, the article also concludes that further research on this subject would be beneficial. This study relates to my anatomy class in that it discusses the function of the laryngeal muscles and how they affect the position of the larynx. I know understand that not only do these muscles affect how high the larynx is, but posture and breathing techniques can also affect its elevation.