ABSTRACT
Introduction
Muscle recruitment is essential for the maintenance of the respiratory system, which under pathophysiological conditions reduces its muscular strength, leading to a decrease in respiratory pressures and subglot air pressure.
Purpose
To investigate the correlation among muscle activation that makes up the center of physical force, the maximum phonation time and the sound pressure of adult women.
Methods
Collection of maximum phonation time of /a/ and modal sound pressure; assessment of muscle activation transversus, multifidus, pelvic floor and maximal expiratory pressure of ten women (19-28 years old) without vocal complaints and without laryngeal disorders diagnosed by otolaryngologist. The Spearman test was applied.
Results
A hundred per cent satisfactory activation of the transversus belly, no significant positive correlation among sound pressure, maximum phonation time and the maximal expiratory pressure values; majority of women with maximum phonation time of /a/ slightly below expectations and sound pressure values within the expected activation and satisfactory the multifidus, perineal muscles and Oxford scale, with positive correlation, but not significant.
Conclusion
Among adult women without vocal complaints and no laryngeal disorders studied, no correlation was found among the activation of the muscles that make up the center of physical force, maximum phonation time and the sound pressure, although most women has made satisfactory muscle activation and while slightly below normal values for maximum phonation time and normal sound pressure.
Voice; Phonation; Women’s health; Respiration; Exhalation