Physical therapy as a means to optimize posture and voice parameters in student classical singers: a case report.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: This study aimed at reporting on an intervention for optimizing postural alignment and voice parameters. STUDY DESIGN: Case report. METHODS: A clinical examination, including an evaluation of postural alignment, was performed and several voice parameters were investigated before, during, and after an individual rehabilitation program aimed at optimizing joint mobility, muscular stability, and posture. This program was given to a 26-year-old female classical singing student. RESULTS: After a nine-session intervention (4 months), postural alignment was improved. The patient showed a good breath support and was able to maintain the lateral dimensions of the thorax, except for the high tones. Furthermore, she had a normalized cervical and scapulothoracic stability. At the last session, she had a lack of relaxation of the masseter muscle while singing. The vocal dynamic and pitch range were extended with smoother curves connecting the measuring points of the maximal and minimal vocal intensity, measured by means of the voice range profile. CONCLUSIONS: Results show that, in this student singer, postural alignment could be changed within 4 months and that it could influence some voice parameters. Further research in larger samples is necessary to see whether these findings can be generalized to other singers.

The effect of a short voice training program in future teachers.

The purpose of this study was to investigate if a module consisting of 6 hours of voice training is effective in future teachers. Sixty-five students, enrolled in the academic teaching program at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, participated in this study. The trained group (n=35) received 6 hours of voice training, whereas the control group (n=30) received no voice training. A multidimensional test battery containing subjective judgments and objective measurements was applied in both groups at the study onset and after 4 months to evaluate the training outcome. No significant differences were observed for the subjective judgments. For the objective measurements, by contrast, several significant differences between the trained and the control groups were found. This outcome favors the systematic introduction of voice training during the schooling of future teachers.