Vocal Unloading with Manual Therapy for the Larynx & Voice for Healthcare Professionals
Vocal Unloading with Manual Therapy for the Larynx & Voice for Healthcare Professionals
Instructor: Annie Strauch, APA Musculoskeletal and Sports Physiotherapist
Course Description
I am very excited to host Annie Strauch, a Performance Medicine Physical Therapist near Melbourne, Australia, for four intense days, July 20, 21, 22, & 23, 2023, cost $2600.
One of her many unique talents is, Vocal Physiotherapy, Evaluation and Treatment is individualized to reflect the individuality of voice production, and each person’s vocal demands and goals.
Vocal physiotherapy is for all voice users, both professional and amateur, and those with vocal issues. Most commonly, Vocal Physiotherapy is beneficial for singers, actors, and people experiencing voice quality issues, increased effort with vocalization, pain with vocalization, tongue tension, and throat pain of a muscular origin. Treatment is regularly in conjunction with their vocal coach, Ear Nose, and Throat (ENT), or voice therapist. Those diagnosed with a voice issue, such as dysphonia, by their ENT specialist or speech pathologist, are often referred for vocal physiotherapy. Treatment will have a team approach with the Physical Therapist working together with the referring ENT or speech pathologist.
Freedom Physical Therapy Services and Performance Medicine is pleased to announce a Vocal Physiotherapy (known as Vocal Unloading®) tour to the USA.
**COURSE PREREQUISITE** This vocal course requires that participants have taken Mike Karegeannes’ 2-day TMJ course or have the credentials of CFC, Craniofacial Certification from the University of St. Augustine or have the credentials CCTT, Certified Cervical, and Temporomandibular Therapist thru the PTBCCT, or have taken Steve Krause’s 2 day TMJ course or have attended Jeff Manheimer’s 3 weekend TMJ Mini residency, or the crafta program with Harry Von Piekartz. I will review other potential requests based on courses and instructors you have received training. I am sorry, but the host is expecting participants to come with great knowledge of TMD and the cervical spine.
Do you have patients who lose their voice, complain of throat pain, or have swallowing issues?
Do you understand the relationship between the larynx, neck and TMJ and how this can impact the voice and throat?
Are any of your patients singers who are reporting vocal fatigue?
Discover how Vocal Physical Therapy can assist you to assess and manage laryngeal dysfunction – the missing link.
Over four practical days, this course will cover the three primary modules to introduce you to Vocal Unloading®; manual therapy that unloads the musculoskeletal components of the larynx & voice, providing you with assessment and treatment skills that are immediately applicable in your daily clinical practice. These modules will help you understand the clinical rationale and clinical implications of voice and larynx dysfunction and importantly,
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 Unloading® for manual therapists. After this module you will have a deeper understanding of the anatomy, physiology and
biomechanics of the laryngeal mechanism and how the voice is produced. The practical sessions will allow you to apply this knowledge to assess the larynx and perilaryngeal region and learn
what the clinical implications of your findings may be to guide your treatment choices. Practical technique sessions will teach you how to use unique manual techniques to treat and
manage your clinical findings and alleviate voice and throat disorders. Learn how to apply these techniques to not only the voice but also to the upper quadrant.
Module One Objectives
Upon completion of this course, participants will
be able to:
- Define the anatomy of the larynx
- Define basic vocal fold physiology
- Define basic voice disorders and the medical assessment
- Explain speech pathology input into voice disorders
- Understand laryngeal manual therapy research
- Explain the maladaptive voice cycle
- Explain the neuromuscular cycle breaker in voice use
- Demonstrate basic laryngeal assessment skills
- Demonstrate basic laryngeal palpation skills
- Demonstrate basic laryngeal manual techniques
- Describe appropriate basic techniques formuscle tension dysphonia
MODULE TWO: The Challenging Larynx
On day 3, module two allows you to further develop your vocal manual therapy skills and understand pathological throat syndromes such as chronic cough, irritable larynx syndrome and Vocal Cord Dysfunction.
You will consolidate your knowledge in understanding the anatomy of the floor of the mouth, tongue and suprahyoid and infrahyoid musculature in the context of the larynx rather than the TMJ.
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 assessment skills
- Demonstrate tongue palpation & treatment techniques
- Explain the neuromuscular cycle breaker in voice use
- Understand the use of laryngeal manual techniques in the context throat pain syndromes
MODULE THREE: The Performance Voice
On this practical day you will learn how to “tune up” the performance voice. Your 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.
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
- Understand the use of laryngeal manual techniques in the context of treating the Performance voice
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 requires that participants have taken Mike Karegeannes’ 2-day TMJ course or have the credentials of CFC, Craniofacial Certification from the University of St. Augustine or have the credentials CCTT, Certified Cervical, and Temporomandibular Therapist thru the PTBCCT, or have taken Steve Krause’s 2 day TMJ course or have attended Jeff Manheimer’s 3 weekend TMJ Mini residency. I will review other potential requests based on courses and instructors you have received training. I am sorry, but the host is expecting participants to come with great knowledge of TMD and the cervical spine.
Registration Details
Level: | Advanced (see above for requirements) |
Target Audience: | PTs, OTs, Dentists, MDs, Speech Pathologist, Massage Therapists, Chiropractors |
CEUs: | 32 CEU |
Price: | $2600 |