VOCAL PHYSICAL THERAPY
Evaluation and Manual Therapy of the Larynx and Voice
VOCAL PHYSICAL THERAPY
Evaluation and Manual Therapy of the Larynx and Voice
Instructor: Annie Strauch, APA Musculoskeletal and Sports Physiotherapist
Course Description
I am very excited to host again Annie Strauch, a Performance Medicine Physical Therapist from Melbourne, Australia, for a four-day intensive in July 11, 12, 13, & 14, 2024.
This course is the missing link for all TMJ therapists as it links together the TMJ, upper cervical spine and anterior cervical spine.
Cost $1950 if registered before 6/1/24 or $2400 after 6/1/24.
Annie is one of the world leading experts in manual therapy for the Larynx and Voice. She presents internationally and Australia wide at both ENT, Speech, Physical Therapy and Voice Conferences.
This Vocal Physical Therapy course is for all manual therapist and TMJ doctors including physical therapists, chiropractors, osteopaths, dentists.
Over four practical days, this course will cover the three primary modules for of Vocal Physical Therapy: Manual Therapy for the Larynx and Voice.
Module One: Foundations of Voice
Module Two: The Challenging Larynx
Module Three: The Performance Voice
During this course you will learn how to evaluate the musculoskeletal components of laryngeal dysfunction and dysphonia which you may already see presenting in your clients as voice loss, throat pain or swallowing issues.
You will learn the relationship between the TMJ, cervical spine and larynx and how this impacts the TMJ, throat and voice, providing you with the missing link in evaluation, treatment and manual therapy skills. Learn unique laryngeal mobilisation and intraoral techniques and the clinical rationale to apply them.
If you treat singers, this course will provide you with the skills to “tune up” the larynx and improve the singing voice. If you are looking to treat more singers, after this course you will have the skills to do so!
This course will provide you with the evaluation and manual therapy skills that are immediately applicable in your daily clinical practice – linking the TMJ and larynx.
What you receive:
- Pre-reading
- Full printed manual for all Modules
- 60 minute online workshop at week six
- Online access to all modules including
- Theory / anatomy
- Practical manual handling
- Digital downloads
- Certificate of Completion
This course assumes that participants have a basic understanding of TMD and the cervical spine.
About the Instructor
Annie is an expert in dance physio, sports physio, and vocal unloading/vocal physiotherapy. Annie’s passion for performance physiotherapy developed on London’s West End, where she managed performers in over 30 productions. She manages the dance physio for Australian theatre productions providing performance optimization, treatment, and movement development.
Course Modules
MODULE ONE: Foundations of Voice
This is a two-day practical introduction to Vocal Physical Therapy: manual therapy for the larynx and voice. After this highly practical module you will have a deeper understanding of the anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics of the laryngeal mechanism and how to evaluate and treat it. The practical sessions include practical evaluation and the clinical implications of your findings to guide your treatment choices. You will learn manual therapy techniques to apply to the larynx and perilaryngeal areas, including laryngeal mobilisations to alleviate musculoskeletal load on the larynx. Learn how to apply these techniques to not only the voice, muscle tension dysphonia, and also to the upper quadrant.
Module One Objectives
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Define the anatomy of the larynx and basic vocal fold physiology
- Define basic voice disorders and the medical assessment
- Understand speech pathology input into voice disorders
- Understand laryngeal manual therapy research
- Explain and understand the maladaptive voice cycle and how manual therapy is the neuromuscular cycle breaker in voice use
- Evaluate the laryngeal mechanism
- Identify and palpate the laryngeal mechanism in relation to the TMJ and upper cervical spine
- Complete laryngeal soft tissue techniques, mobilisations and manual techniques
- Treat the musculoskeletal components of muscle tension dysphonia
MODULE TWO: The Challenging Larynx
On day 3, Module Two (The Challenging Larynx) allows you to further develop your manual therapy skills and understand how to manage pathological throat syndromes, chronic cough and irritable larynx syndrome.
You will consolidate your evaluation and manual therapy knowledge in understanding the anatomy of the floor of the mouth, tongue and suprahyoid and infrahyoid musculature in the context of the larynx. New practical skills will to treat the tongue are introduced here.
Module Two Objectives
Upon completion of The Challenging Larynx participants will be able to:
- Define the anatomy of the larynx, tongue, floor of mouth
- Define the aging process of the larynx & vocal folds
- Define the most common throat pain syndromes & their management
- Consider pathobiological mechanisms of pain in the context of throat pain & chronic cough
- Demonstrate excellent laryngeal evaluation skills
- Evaluate the tongue including palpation
- Apply soft tissue techniques to the tongue
- Understand the use of laryngeal manual techniques, including intraoral techniques, in the context of the pathological or painful larynx.
MODULE THREE: The Performance Voice
Day 4, Module 3 (The Performance Voice) is a practical day that brings together your evaluation skills and manual therapy skills to “tune up” the performance voice. The practical sessions include soft and hard palate treatment techniques to improve resonance and how your tongue techniques layer in. The practical sessions will support you to become confident in understanding the Performance Voice – how to increase a singer’s vocal range, increase quality, decrease effort and increase their joy in singing. You will also have the opportunity to treat a real singer.
Module Three Objectives
Upon completion of The Performance Voice participants will be able to:
- Define the most common voice styles & voice types
- Define the most common singing pedagogies.
- Explain the laryngeal position in various singing styles
- Demonstrate singing voice assessment & palpation skills
- Explain the neuromuscular cycle breaker in voice use
- Evaluate the performance voice
- Apply soft palate manual techniques
- Apply techniques to improve a singer’s resonance
- Apply manual therapy treatment to treat the singing voice / performance voice
Testimonials
- Annie is a wonderful presenter. She is incredibly knowledgeable and articulate. You can see and feel her passion as she teaches. Her manual skills are fantastic. She is very patient, willing to answer questions, and easily approachable. One of the best courses I have ever taken! Milwaukee, 2023
- Annie was fantastic! She obviously is an expert in this area and has been able to translate her skills and passion into teaching an effective course that gives the clinician skills they can use immediately after the course. Milwaukee, 2023
- Doing the deep dive for the throat/tongue muscles which was not part of the grad school curriculum so my mind is already thinking about practical application for people with jaw, head, neck, ear problems. I already used soft palate work for someone who had ear ‘plugged up’ insidiously a few months ago. She could feel the symptoms fluctuate which was the first time anything had done so. Milwaukee, 2023
- Lovely course and the best presenter. Thank you Annie for presenting with such expertise and experience. I love the slow and repetitive way of practicing the assessment and treatment strategies. Brisbane, 2023
- Assessment and treatment techniques flowed well and integrated into each other. Brisbane, 2023
- Great course! Loved the detail. Presented in a simple but effective way. Really felt like I learnt a lot. Brisbane, 2023
Day 1
7:30am Registration
8:00am Essentials of Voice Production
9:00am Perilaryngeal & laryngeal anatomy
10:00am Voice Disorders: speech therapy & ENT t
11:00am Break
11:15 am Foundations of Vocal Unloading
12:00 pm Subjective & objective assessment
1:00 pm Lunch
1:30 pm Palpation & assessment techniques
3:00 pm Break
3:15 pm Treatment techniques
5:00 pm Adjourn
Day 2
8:00am Q & A regarding Day 1
8:30am Assessment technique review
9:30am Treatment technique review
10:30am Break
10:45am Muscle Tension Dysphonia
11:30am Laryngeal technique review
12:30pm Lunch
1:00pm Management strategies
2:00pm Case Studies
3:00pm Break
3:15pm Case studies & practical application
5:00pm Adjourn
Day 3
8:00am The pathological voice & throat syndromes
11:00am Break
11:15am Oropharyngeal anatomy : Tongue
12:00pm Palpation of the tongue
1:00pm Lunch
1:30pm Tongue techniques
2:30pm Break
2:45pm Case studies
3:45pm Technique workshop
5:00pm Adjourn
Day 4
8:00am The Performance Voice
10:00am Break
10:15am The Singer’s Oropharynx
11:00am Soft palate palpation & techniques
12:30pm Lunch
1:00pm Case studies
2:30pm Break
2:45pm Singers treatment workshop
5:00pm Adjourn
General Information
What sort of clothing should I wear?
Please wear comfortable clothing. Females, please wear a low backed singlet so that your upper torso can be seen for assessment of the upper thoracic and chest region and
Is there pre-reading?
Approximately six weeks before the course, pre-reading will be sent via email. Pre-reading involves a few journal articles and short videos to familiarize yourself with this space.
This vocal course highly recommends that participants have a basic understanding of TMD and the cervical spine.
Registration Details
6
| Level: | From beginning to advanced, as it covers 3 modules |
| Target Audience: | PTs, OTs, Dentists, MDs, Speech Pathologist, Massage Therapists, Chiropractors |
| CEUs: | 32 CEU |
| Price: | Early Bird Special by 6/1/24 $1950, after 6/1 $2400 |