PresbyphoniaPRESBYPHONIANCT07771114
THE EFFECT OF POSTURAL ALİGNMENT AND DEEP CERVICAL MUSCLE TRAINING ON VOICE FUNCTION IN OLDER ADULTS WITH PRESBYPHONIA
A study testing Neck Stabilization Exercises Group in people with Presbyphonia and Deep Cervical Muscles, run by Suleyman Demirel University.
Trial summary
This study examined whether posture exercises and deep neck muscle training can improve voice quality in older adults with presbyphonia, an age-related voice disorder. Older adults with presbyphonia participated in a rehabilitation program that included posture correction and exercises to strengthen the deep neck… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 65 to 75 months
- Conditions the study is for
- Presbyphonia, Deep Cervical Muscles
- What is being tested?
- Neck Stabilization Exercises Group
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 90 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- 1 Sep 2026to 31 Dec 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 65 to 75 months
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child
ınclusion Age ≥65 years
- Diagnosis of presbyphonia
- Absence of neurological disease
- Absence of severe hearing loss exlusion
- laryngeal surgery
- neurological speech disorder
- acute respiratory disease
Trial locations and contacts
No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
EMİNE METİN contact
About this study
Official title: THE EFFECT OF POSTURAL ALIGNMENT AND DEEP CERVICAL MUSCLE TRAINING WITH PRESBYPHONIA
This study examined whether posture exercises and deep neck muscle training can improve voice quality in older adults with presbyphonia, an age-related voice disorder.
Older adults with presbyphonia participated in a rehabilitation program that included posture correction and exercises to strengthen the deep neck muscles. The program aimed to improve head and neck alignment, posture control, and breathing support, which are important for healthy voice production. Voice evaluations were performed before and after treatment using voice recordings, breathing-related measurements, and questionnaires about voice-related difficulties.
Read more
After the exercise program, participants showed improvements in voice quality and vocal stability. They were able to sustain their voice for a longer time and reported fewer voice-related problems in daily life. Improvements in posture and neck control were also associated with better vocal performance.
These findings suggest that posture and deep neck muscle exercises may help improve voice function in older adults with presbyphonia. Such exercises may be a useful supportive treatment option for age-related voice problems. Further studies with larger groups are needed to confirm these results.
Read the detailed description
Age-related changes in the voice mechanism can significantly affect voice quality and communication in older adults. Presbyphonia is one of the most common age-related voice disorders, resulting from structural and functional changes in the laryngeal tissues. Degeneration of the vocal cord muscles, decreased elasticity of the lamina propria, and reduced neuromuscular control can lead to symptoms such as shortness of breath, decreased voice intensity, and decreased phonation efficiency (1,2). These changes can negatively impact speech communication and overall quality of life in older individuals (3).
Voice production is a complex motor activity requiring coordination between the respiratory, laryngeal, and supralaryngeal systems. Efficient phonation depends not only on the laryngeal muscles but also on the alignment and stability of surrounding musculoskeletal structures, particularly the cervical spine and upper thoracic region (4; 5). Postural alignment optimizes respiratory mechanics and laryngeal function, while changes in head and neck posture can affect vocal tract configuration, airflow control, and phonation efficiency (6,7).
Aging is frequently associated with a forward-tilted head posture and decreased cervical stability, which can increase muscle tension and alter the biomechanical relationship between the hyoid, larynx, and surrounding muscles (8,9). These postural deviations can contribute to inefficient phonation and reduced vocal performance. Previous studies have shown that head and neck posture can affect acoustic voice parameters, including fundamental frequency, vibration, and brightness, highlighting the importance of musculoskeletal alignment in voice production (3,6).
The deep cervical muscles are critical for maintaining head and neck stability. Weakness or dysfunction in these muscles can compromise cervical control, respiratory support, and laryngeal biomechanics (8). Rehabilitation programs targeting deep cervical muscle activation and postural control have been used in physiotherapy to improve neuromuscular coordination and spinal stability (8,9). These interventions can indirectly affect voice production by optimizing the biomechanical environment necessary for efficient phonation.
Postural and cervical muscle training has been shown to improve neck stability, postural alignment, and respiratory function (5,10). Improved diaphragmatic breathing and thoracic expansion associated with improved posture can enhance vocal efficiency by providing better phonation support (1,4). However, the direct effects of posture and cervical stabilization exercises on voice function in older adults with presbyphonia have largely been understudied.
Given the interactions between posture, cervical stability, and voice production, musculoskeletal interventions may provide a complementary approach to managing age-related voice disorders (11,12,13). Understanding these effects could shed light on multidisciplinary rehabilitation strategies aimed at improving vocal performance and communication in older adults.
Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of posture and deep cervical muscle training on voice function in older adults with presbyphonia.
- Conditions
- Presbyphonia, Deep Cervical Muscles
- Being tested
- Neck Stabilization Exercises Group, Control Group
- Keywords
- Presbyphonia, cervical stabilization, voice function, voice quality
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Neck Stabilization Exercises GroupBehavioural
Cervical stabilization exercises will be performed for approximately 50 minutes, three times a week for six weeks, under the guidance of an experienced physiotherapist. These exercises include stabilization training targeting the deep neck flexor muscle groups using a pressure biofeedback device, and progressively incorporating cervical and thoracic stabilization training.
Control GroupBehavioural
Traditional exercises targeting the cervical region (neck isometric stretching, strengthening, and posture exercises) will be performed.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Neck Stabilization Exercises Group | Active comparator | Participants will undergo cervical stabilization exercises for approximately 50 minutes, three times a week for six weeks, under the guidance of an experienced physiotherapist. These exercises include stabilization training targeting the deep neck flexor muscle groups using a pressure biofeedback device, and progressively incorporating cervical and thoracic stabilization training. Receives: Behavioral: Neck Stabilization Exercises Group |
| control group | Active comparator | Traditional exercises targeting the cervical region (neck isometric stretching, strengthening, and posture exercises) will be performed. The exercise phase will last a total of 50 minutes, consisting of 10 minutes of warm-up, 30 minutes of main exercises, and 10 minutes of cool-down exercises. Receives: Behavioral: Control Group |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Acoustic sound analyses will be performed using the AVQI (Acoustic Sound Quality Index) script (v02.06) in Praat. Description: (Sound Efficiency Assessment, TEMPS-A (Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego Temperament Assessment), Rosenbaum's Learned Helpless
(Voice Efficiency Evaluation, TEMPS-A (Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego), Rosenbaum's Learned Helplessness Scale (LHCS))
Measured: 30dakika
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted18 Aug 2026
- Study start1 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion12 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for PresbyphoniaStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Investigator
- Enrolment
- 90 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Suleyman Demirel University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Dr. Emine Metin, phd, Suleyman Demirel University
- Investigators
- EMİNE METİN, Principal investigator, Suleyman Demirel University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07771114
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- SuleymanDU2
- Acronym
- PRESBYPHONIA
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 3 Aug 2026
- Last updated
- 18 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 18 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- THE EFFECT OF POSTURAL ALIGNMENT AND DEEP CERVICAL MUSCLE TRAINING WITH PRESBYPHONIA
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07771114
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- PRESBYPHONIA / SuleymanDU2
- Conditions
- Presbyphonia, Deep Cervical Muscles
- Keywords
- Presbyphonia, cervical stabilization, voice function, voice quality
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 90 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Suleyman Demirel UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 12 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 18 Aug 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study examined whether posture exercises and deep neck muscle training can improve voice quality in older adults with presbyphonia, an age-related voice disorder.
Older adults with presbyphonia participated in a rehabilitation program that included posture correction and exercises to strengthen the deep neck muscles. The program aimed to improve head and neck alignment, posture control, and breathing support, which are important for healthy voice production. Voice evaluations were performed before and after treatment using voice recordings, breathing-related measurements, and questionnaires about voice-related difficulties.
After the exercise program, participants showed improvements in voice quality and vocal stability. They were able to sustain their voice for a longer time and reported fewer voice-related problems in daily life. Improvements in posture and neck control were also associated with better vocal performance.
These findings suggest that posture and deep neck muscle exercises may help improve voice function in older adults with presbyphonia. Such exercises may be a useful supportive treatment option for age-related voice problems. Further studies with larger groups are needed to confirm these results.
Detailed description
Age-related changes in the voice mechanism can significantly affect voice quality and communication in older adults. Presbyphonia is one of the most common age-related voice disorders, resulting from structural and functional changes in the laryngeal tissues. Degeneration of the vocal cord muscles, decreased elasticity of the lamina propria, and reduced neuromuscular control can lead to symptoms such as shortness of breath, decreased voice intensity, and decreased phonation efficiency (1,2). These changes can negatively impact speech communication and overall quality of life in older individuals (3).
Voice production is a complex motor activity requiring coordination between the respiratory, laryngeal, and supralaryngeal systems. Efficient phonation depends not only on the laryngeal muscles but also on the alignment and stability of surrounding musculoskeletal structures, particularly the cervical spine and upper thoracic region (4; 5). Postural alignment optimizes respiratory mechanics and laryngeal function, while changes in head and neck posture can affect vocal tract configuration, airflow control, and phonation efficiency (6,7).
Aging is frequently associated with a forward-tilted head posture and decreased cervical stability, which can increase muscle tension and alter the biomechanical relationship between the hyoid, larynx, and surrounding muscles (8,9). These postural deviations can contribute to inefficient phonation and reduced vocal performance. Previous studies have shown that head and neck posture can affect acoustic voice parameters, including fundamental frequency, vibration, and brightness, highlighting the importance of musculoskeletal alignment in voice production (3,6).
The deep cervical muscles are critical for maintaining head and neck stability. Weakness or dysfunction in these muscles can compromise cervical control, respiratory support, and laryngeal biomechanics (8). Rehabilitation programs targeting deep cervical muscle activation and postural control have been used in physiotherapy to improve neuromuscular coordination and spinal stability (8,9). These interventions can indirectly affect voice production by optimizing the biomechanical environment necessary for efficient phonation.
Postural and cervical muscle training has been shown to improve neck stability, postural alignment, and respiratory function (5,10). Improved diaphragmatic breathing and thoracic expansion associated with improved posture can enhance vocal efficiency by providing better phonation support (1,4). However, the direct effects of posture and cervical stabilization exercises on voice function in older adults with presbyphonia have largely been understudied.
Given the interactions between posture, cervical stability, and voice production, musculoskeletal interventions may provide a complementary approach to managing age-related voice disorders (11,12,13). Understanding these effects could shed light on multidisciplinary rehabilitation strategies aimed at improving vocal performance and communication in older adults.
Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of posture and deep cervical muscle training on voice function in older adults with presbyphonia.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (investigator)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Neck Stabilization Exercises Group | Active comparator | Behavioral: Neck Stabilization Exercises GroupParticipants will undergo cervical stabilization exercises for approximately 50 minutes, three times a week for six weeks, under the guidance of an experienced physiotherapist. These exercises include stabilization training targeting the deep neck flexor muscle groups using a pressure biofeedback device, and progressively incorporating cervical and thoracic stabilization training. |
| control group | Active comparator | Behavioral: Control GroupTraditional exercises targeting the cervical region (neck isometric stretching, strengthening, and posture exercises) will be performed. The exercise phase will last a total of 50 minutes, consisting of 10 minutes of warm-up, 30 minutes of main exercises, and 10 minutes of cool-down exercises. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 65 to 75 months
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Neck Stabilization Exercises GroupCervical stabilization exercises will be performed for approximately 50 minutes, three times a week for six weeks, under the guidance of an experienced physiotherapist. These exercises include stabilization training targeting the deep neck flexor muscle groups using a pressure biofeedback device, and progressively incorporating cervical and thoracic stabilization training. | Behavioural | Neck Stabilization Exercises Group |
| Control GroupTraditional exercises targeting the cervical region (neck isometric stretching, strengthening, and posture exercises) will be performed. | Behavioural | control group |
Primary outcome
Acoustic sound analyses will be performed using the AVQI (Acoustic Sound Quality Index) script (v02.06) in Praat. Description: (Sound Efficiency Assessment, TEMPS-A (Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego Temperament Assessment), Rosenbaum's Learned Helpless
Time frame: 30dakika
(Voice Efficiency Evaluation, TEMPS-A (Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego), Rosenbaum's Learned Helplessness Scale (LHCS))
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 18 Aug 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes
Related trials for Presbyphonia
Not yet recruiting
PhoRTE® Therapy Efficacy: In-Person Versus Telehealth
Atrophy of Vocal Cord, Presbyphonia
Recruiting
Characterizing the Impact of Presbyphonia on Social Interaction
Presbyphonia
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
EMİNE METİN contact
EMİNE METİN principal investigator
Suleyman Demirel University
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Neck Stabilization Exercises Group in people with Presbyphonia and Deep Cervical Muscles, run by Suleyman Demirel University.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 18 Aug 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact EMİNE METİN, phd, (+900 0246-211326 ext. +9005324201569, eminetaha32@gmail.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Acoustic sound analyses will be performed using the AVQI (Acoustic Sound Quality Index) script (v02.06) in Praat. Description: (Sound Efficiency Assessment, TEMPS-A (Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego Temperament Assessment), Rosenbaum's Learned Helpless (time frame: 30dakika). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 18 Aug 2026.