Summary Objective To develop a psychometrically sound self-report questionnaire, the Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI), to help identify individuals with vocal fatigue (VF) and characterize their complaints. Study Design Descriptive research—scale development. Methods Four laryngologists and six speech-language pathologists specialized in voice created a beta version of the VFI (version 1), an index of 21 statements they considered to reflect VF. Two hundred patients presenting to two different clinics completed the VFI-1. Two items from VFI-1 were excluded because of poor item-to-total correlations. The final VFI of 19 items (version 2), completed by 105 patients with voice complaints and 70 vocally healthy individuals, was assessed for its psychometric properties. Results Test-retest reliability for the final VFI was generally strong, as was sensitivity and specificity using the classification table under logistic regression for correctly distinguishing individuals with and without VF. Moreover, factor analysis indicated that VF may be characterized by three factors: (1) factor 1, related to tiredness of voice and voice avoidance, (2) factor 2, related to physical discomfort associated with voicing, and (3) factor 3, related to improvement of symptoms with rest. Conclusion The VFI is a standardized tool that can identify individuals with probable VF with good reliability, validity, sensitivity, and specificity.

Professores possuem predisposição a desenvolver alterações vocais em relação aos demais trabalhadores que utilizam a voz como instrumento de trabalho. Em geral, eles não apresentam preparo para utilizar a voz, o que pode acarretar o aparecimento de patologias associadas ao uso vocal prolongado e excessivo. O uso prolongado da voz, de modo inadequado, pode acarretar distúrbios da voz relacionados ao trabalho. O objetivo do presente estudo foi analisar o uso prolongado da voz em professoras universitárias em situações de repouso, 30 minutos, 60 minutos e 90 minutos e comparar a intensidade vocal, a análise acústica e a análise perceptivo-auditiva da voz. Trata-se de uma pesquisa quantitativa, com análise comparativa dos dados de delineamento transversal, descritivo. Participaram do estudo 17 docentes, do sexo feminino com idade mínima de 31 anos e máxima de 47 anos pertencentes a uma Instituição de Ensino Superior. Todos os participantes foram submetidos a captura da intensidade vocal habitual, mínima e máxima e gravação da emissão da vogal /a/ prolongada; também, realizaram a leitura de um texto padronizado de higiene vocal para posterior extração dos parâmetros perceptivo-auditivos e acústicos. Os registros foram capturados nas situações de repouso, 30, 60 e 90 minutos da prova de uso prolongado da voz, que foi realizada no tempo máximo de uma hora e meia. A análise acústica revelou elevação nas medidas de frequência fundamental (p= 0,01) e proporção harmônico ruído (p= 0,05). A análise perceptivo-auditiva da GIRBAS entre os experts fonoaudiólogos revelou concordância e disconcordância estatística durante as situações de uso prolongado da voz. Foram concordantes nas situações de repouso (instabilidade, rugosidade, soprosidade, astenia e tensão) e o parâmetro vocal loudness; 30 minutos (todos os parâmetros foram concordantes) 60 minutos (rugosidade, soprosidade, astenia e tensão); 90 minutos (soprosidade, astênia e tensão) e nos parâmetros vocais loudness e pitch. E os discordantes nas situações de repouso (Grau Geral) e o parâmetro vocal loudness, 60 minutos (Grau Geral e instabilidade), 90 minutos (Grau Geral, instabilidade e rugosidade). As medidas de extensão vocal e intensidade vocal habitual, mínima e máxima também não revelaram alterações significativas após o uso prolongado da voz. Deste modo, concluiu-se que o uso prolongado da voz em professoras universitárias não promoveu alterações significativas quanto a intensidade vocal e extensão dinâmica, havendo redução dos parâmetros perceptivo-auditivos ao longo do uso da voz. Entretanto, a análise acústica apresentou elevação dos parâmetros frequência fundamental e proporção harmônico ruído. / Teachers have a propensity to develop vocal changes when compared to other professionals who use their voice as a work tool. In general, they tend to exhibit no skills to use their voice professionally, which may trigger pathologies related to prolonged or excessive use. Prolonged, inadequate use may give rise to job-related disorders. The objective of the present study was to analyze prolonged use of voice among university professors under resting conditions at 30, 60, and 90 minutes and then compare voice pitch, acoustic analysis, and auditory-perceptive analysis of voice. It is a quantitative study that involved cross-sectional, descriptive analysis of comparative data. Seventeen female faculties aged 31 at least and 47 at most participated in the study. All subjects underwent habitual speech intensity- minimum and maximum- capture test and a test involving uttering the long vowel /ä/. They also read a standard text on vocal hygiene so that acoustic and auditory-perceptive parameters could be elicited later. Registers were captured under resting conditions at 30, 60, and 90 minutes of the test of prolonged use of voice, which was carried out within a maximum time frame of one and a half hours. Acoustic analysis revealed increased measures in fundamental frequency (p=o,o1) and harmoniousness/loudness ratio (p= 0,05). GIRBAS auditory-perceptive analysis among speech pathologists revealed statistical agreement and disagreement. Under resting conditions, instability, breathiness, vocal weakness, and strain, and the parameter loudness; at 30 minutes all parameters were concurrent; at 60 minutes roughness, breathiness, vocal weakness, and strain; at 90 minutes breathiness, vocal weakness, and strain and the parameters loudness and pitch were concurrent; however, under resting conditions, general level and the parameter loudness; at 60 minutes, general level and instability; at 90 minutes, general level, instability, and roughness were not concurrent. Vocal range and habitual vocal intensity measures, minimum and maximum, did not reveal significant changes after prolonged use of voice. Therefore, one may conclude that the prolonged use of voice among professors did not promote significant changes to their vocal range and vocal dynamics, with a decrease in auditory-perceptive parameters as the voice was being used. Nevertheless, acoustic analysis did reveal increased fundamental frequency and increased harmoniousness/loudness ratio.

Objective This study aimed to identify potential metabolic mechanisms including (1) neuromuscular inefficiency, (2) cardiovascular recovery deficits, or (3) both, in individuals with complaints of vocal fatigue.

No description available.

No description available.

Vocal fatigue is among the most debilitating conditions affecting individuals with voice disorders, with little known about its actual metabolic mechanisms. The current study aims to address this issue by investigating the hypothesis that neuromuscular inefficiency, cardiovascular recovery deficits, or both, may play a role in vocal fatigue.

After an intense period of concerts and projects that involved learning large quantities of new music I realized that I often got vocally tired when learning music. I have always been a quick learner but my method of learning has not always been beneficial for my vocal health. In this project I have explored new ways of learning music in which I prioritize vocal health. I have deepened my understanding of the vocal mechanism and experimented with vocal exercises as a part of learning repertoire. Making and listening to recordings of my repertoire and working sessions has helped me to hone my approach. I worked with two pieces of repertoire, spending three weeks on each piece, and focused on different parts of the learning process every week. After completing the work with each piece I chose a few of the recordings to show my singing teacher and a small group of my singing colleagues. This led to meaningful discussions that took my work further. This project has helped me to practice efficiently without becoming vocally tired, created a bridge between repertoire work and vocal technique, and increased the quality of my everyday work as a classical singer.

Detta är en kvalitativ studie med kvantitativa inslag med syftet att undersöka sångares upplevelser avnedsjungning efter högintensiv sång. Till en början har specifikt designade sångövningar förmedlats till sex medverkande sångare om fyra kvinnor och två män under individuella sånglektioner. Deltagarna har i en variant av crossover design skattat sin dagliga rösthälsa i EASE- självskattningsformulär för friska röster. Testperioden om tre veckor följdes sedan av kvalitativa intervjuer. Resultat visar att även om sångares vardag är komplex, i och med inre och yttre påverkande faktorer, har nedsjungning en upplevd effekt i avseendet förbättrad rösthälsa efter högintensiv sång. Detta gäller särskilt de kvinnliga sångarna som beskriver att nedsjungning bidragit till en mer samlad röst med minskad heshet och svullnad. Vidare rapporteras om större lätthet inför att sjunga i lägre delen av bröstregistret, en mer egaliserad röst och en förbättrad tal- och magstödsteknik tillsammans med större lätthet inför påföljande sångpass. Nedsjungning ses också ha skapat ett andrum i vardagen där minskad stress, prestationskrav och resultatinriktning omvänts till en samlad känsla av avslut. Likväl är begrepp som nedsjungning, att sjunga ned, kyla ned, eller att stretcha rösten nya begrepp som rekommenderas att vidare studeras och förmedlas till elever och studenter, framför allt då föreliggande studies resultat visar tydliga attitydskillnader avseende rösthälsa och röstvård emellan de olika könen. / This is a study regarding singers' experiences of a vocal-cool down routine preceded with a heavy vocal load. The study is mainly based on a qualitative approach with quantitative elements. At first individual singing lessons where held, whereas specifically designed vocal-cool down exercises were taught to six participating singers; four women and two men. With a modification of a crossover design the singers in this study have estimated their daily voice health in the Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily survey (EASE). After a three week period of tests the singers were interviewed. The result of this study shows that even if singers' everyday lives are complex due to internal and external factors, vocal- cool down where perceived as an improvement of voice health. It is mainly the female singers' that describes an increased vocal well-being, with less hoarseness and swollen vocal folds after a heavy vocal load, followed by a vocal -cool down routine. Furthermore a greater sense of ease was reported in terms of transitions between registers in the singing voice, where fatigue in the surrounding muscles also decreased alongside with a positive impact on the speaking voice, reaching lower notes in chest register and extended diaphragm breathing. The vocal cool-down routine itself also gave an unexpected finding in terms of being contemplative and relaxing for the singers; creating a breathing space in everyday life where stress, performance anxiety and other concerns where easier to let go of, with an overall feeling of closure. Vocal cool down, cooling down the voice, vocal stretch, or warming down your voice are all relatively new concepts that are recommended to be studied further, spread and taught to students and pupils, - especially as the result in this study indicates clear differences in attitudes regarding voice health in-between the male and female genders.