Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2021, Vol. 16 ›› Issue (2): 375-381.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.290909

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Effectiveness of oral motor respiratory exercise and vocal intonation therapy on respiratory function and vocal quality in patients with spinal cord injury: a randomized controlled trial

Xiao-Ying Zhang1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Yi-Chuan Song1, 5, Chang-Bin Liu1, 2, 3, 4, 6, Chuan Qin1, 2, 3, 4, 7, Song-Huai Liu1,  5, Jian-Jun Li1, 2, 3, 4, 7, *   

  1. 1 School of Rehabilitation Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China;  2 China Rehabilitation Science Institute, Beijing, China;  3 Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Rehabilitation, Beijing, China;  4 Center of Neural Injury and Repair, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, China;  5 Music Therapy Center, Department of Psychology, China Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing, China;  6 Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China;  7 Department of Spinal and Neural Functional Reconstruction, China Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing, China
  • Online:2021-02-15 Published:2020-12-04
  • Contact: Jian-Jun Li, MD, crrclijj@163.com.
  • Supported by:
    This work was supported by Scientific Research Foundation of China Rehabilitation Research Center, No. 2019zx-23 (to SHL) and the Natural Science Foundation of Beijing of China, No. 7192238.

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Abstract: Singing, as a method of combining respiratory function exercise and vocal intonation therapy, provides a new direction for respiratory function exercise in patients with spinal cord injury. This randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of oral motor respiratory exercise and vocal intonation therapy on respiratory function and vocal quality in patients with spinal cord injury. Among 31 included patients with spinal cord injury, 18 completed the treatment. These 18 patients were randomly assigned to undergo music therapy (intervention group, 30 min/d, 5 times a week, for a total of 12 weeks; n = 9, 7 males and 2 females; 30.33 ± 11.74 years old) or normal respiratory training (control group, n = 9; 8 males and 1 female; 34.78 ± 11.13 years old). Both patient groups received routine treatment concurrently. Before and at 6 and 12 weeks after intervention, a standard respiratory function test, a voice test, the St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire, and a quality of life questionnaire were administered. The results showed that the inspiratory capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 second, forced vital capacity, maximal mid-expiratory flow rate, sing-loud pressure level, and sustained note length were significantly increased in the intervention group compared with the control group. The St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire and quality of life results of patients in the intervention group were significantly superior to those in the control group. These findings suggest that oral motor respiratory exercise and vocal intonation therapy, as respiratory training methods in music therapy, are effective and valuable for improving respiratory dysfunction and vocal quality in patients with spinal cord injury. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of China Rehabilitation Research Center (approval No. 2019-78-1) on May 27, 2019 and was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (registration number: ChiCTR1900026922) on October 26, 2019. 

Key words: central nervous system, clinical trial, injury, oral motor, randomized, repair, respiratory exercise, spinal cord