Quantifying vocal fatigue recovery: Dynamic vocal recovery trajectories after a vocal loading exercise

Abstract

Objectives: We quantified the recovery of voice following a 2-hour vocal loading exercise (oral reading). Methods: Eighty-six adult participants tracked their voice recovery using short vocal tasks and perceptual ratings after an initial vocal loading exercise and for the following 2 days. Results: Short-term recovery was apparent, with 90% recovery within 4 to 6 hours and full recovery at 12 to 18 hours. Recovery was shown to be similar to a dermal wound healing trajectory. Conclusions: The new recovery trajectory highlighted by the vocal loading exercise in the current study is called a vocal recovery trajectory. By comparing vocal fatigue to dermal wound healing, this trajectory is parallel to a chronic wound healing trajectory (as opposed to an acute wound healing trajectory). This parallel suggests that vocal fatigue from the daily use of the voice could be treated as a chronic wound, with the healing and repair mechanisms in a state of constant repair. In addition, there is likely a vocal fatigue threshold at which point the level of tissue damage would shift the chronic healing trajectory to an acute healing trajectory. © 2009 Annals Publishing Company. All rights reserved.