Semi-occluded vocal tract exercises (SOVTEs) have been a topic of research and interest among voice specialists for over three decades. An SOVTE is "any exercise in which the vocal tract is made partially closed at or near the lips." When this kind of occlusion occurs there are numerous consequences that follow, but of primary interest is a beneficial change of impedance. These beneficial changes are still being studied, but efficiency in phonation, as well as a shift in the configuration of the vocal folds during phonation are two significant findings thus far. Efficiency in vocal production is paramount to a performer's vocal health. Therefore, a dissipating impedance or a hindering reactance would be undesirable. Research over the last three decades has largely addressed the degree of reactive inertance possible through such impedance and its health benefits on the speaking and singing voice. The performing arts health aspects of these benefits are increasingly relevant to professional voice users. Although research on SOVTEs has become plentiful and widely available to voice teachers, it is unknown how or if this population is digesting the current performing arts health research and implementing it within their vocal instruction. Understanding the extent to which SOVTE science is known and implemented by the current voice-teaching population could inform the current and future voice-science community on how to best alter the dissemination of upcoming research.

Tube phonation is a voice treatment method for patients with voice disorders. The purpose of this study was to map speech language pathologist’s (SLPs) use of tube phonation in Sweden and to investigate the underlying factors for how the method is realized. The study consisted of a web-based questionnaire survey which 54 voice SLPs participated in. The survey consisted of closed end, open end and a combination of both. The open-end questions were partially analyzed quantatively, partially through a qualitative categorization method and were presented descriptively. The main results show that there is a strong consensus among SLPs in Sweden regarding materials used during tube phonation. The majority responded that they use glass tubes that are 27 cm long with a diameter of 9 mm, and an open bowl. These results are consistent with the recommendations in Simberg and Laine’s (2007) study where they analysed the method. In the present study, tube phonation was most commonly used to treat phonastenia, vocal nodules and vocal fold paralysis. Future treatment studies are warranted where Simberg och Laine’s (2007) recommendations are compared with other voice treatments. It would also be of interest to investigate the treatment effect of tube phonation on different voice disorders, and to investigate how SLPs should realize the treatment to achieve best possible effect. / Rörfonation är en röstbehandlingsmetod som används för patienter med röststörningar. Syftet med denna studie var att kartlägga hur röstlogopeder i Sverige använder rörfonation, samt att undersöka bakomliggande faktorer till hur metoden utförs. Studien bestod av en webbaserad enkätundersökning där 54 röstlogopeder deltog. Undersökningen bestod av slutna frågor, öppna frågor samt en kombination av båda. De öppna frågorna analyserades dels kvantitativt, dels genom en kvalitativ kategoriseringsmetod och presenterades deskriptivt. De centrala resultaten i denna studie är att röstlogopeder i Sverige är överens om vilka material som används vid rörfonation. Majoriteten av logopederna i studien använder sig av glasrör som är 27 cm långa med en diameter på 9 mm, samt en öppen skål. Dessa resultat stämmer överens med rekommendationer som Simberg och Laine (2007) ger efter att ha undersökt metoden. I föreliggande studie användes rörfonation i störst utsträckning till att behandla fonasteni, stämbandsknutor och stämbandspares. Framtida behandlingsstudier är nödvändiga för att jämföra rörfonation enligt Simberg och Laines (2007) rekommendationer med andra röstbehandlingsmetoder. Det skulle även vara intressant att undersöka utfallet/effekten av rörfonation vid olika röststörningar och hur logopeder bör utföra behandlingen för att uppnå bäst effekt.

Straw phonation is a semi-occluded vocal tract exercise (SOVTE) that has long been used as a therapeutic device for the voice. The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes following voice lessons that included a straw phonation protocol to those that did not include a protocol. The primary outcome measures were the shortened version of the Singing Voice Handicap Index (SVHI-10), which is a validated health status instrument for singers, and Perceived Vocal Efficiency (PVE). Ten student singers in a large college of music consented into the study and participated in both lesson conditions, serving as their own control. They completed six voice lessons over a six week period with lessons alternating between the straw phonation protocol and no straw phonation protocol conditions. Outcome measures were collected following all six lessons. Repeated measures one-way analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA) revealed no statistically significant effect of the straw phonation protocol on either dependent variable. However, a small effect was found for PVE, indicating that straw phonation led to a perceived improvement in vocal efficiency. There was significant variation in individual responses to straw phonation and participants who had more prior experience with the SOVT experienced less perceptual change across lesson conditions. Most singers reported finding straw phonation a useful addition to their voice lesson and felt it improved their vocal efficiency. These results indicate that straw phonation could be regularly integrated into voice lessons and may be most helpful to students who find the SOVTE worthwhile. Future studies should examine the effects of a similar protocol using multiple SOVTEs, tailored to what is most efficacious for individuals, and should use a separate control group.

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