Table 1.
Swallowing exercises completed in each set of exercises
| Exercise | Reps per set | Targeted outcome | Instruction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effortful swallow | 20 | Increase muscular activation of the pharyngeal constrictors and base of tongue25 | 1. Push your tongue up to the roof of your mouth 2. Swallow “hard” with effort 3. Pretend you are swallowing a golf ball |
| Tongue-hold swallow | 20 | Increased contraction of the superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle26 | 1. Hold your tongue gently between your teeth 2. Swallow your saliva with your tongue in this position |
| Supraglottic swallow | 20 | Volitional laryngeal vestibule closure27 | 1. Take a breath and hold it 2. Swallow with effort 3. Cough |
| Shaker exercise | 20 | Strengthening of hyolaryngeal elevation muscles28 | 1. Lie flat on your back 2. Lift only your head and look at your toes (do not lift your shoulders) 3. Hold this position for 1 second and then lower your head |
| Mendelsohn maneuver | 20 | Volitional prolonging of hyolaryngeal elevation and upper esophageal sphincter opening29 | 1. Begin a regular swallow 2. As you feel your larynx move in an upward direction, squeeze your muscles 3. Maintain this position for up to 5 seconds 4. Relax and finish the swallow |
| Effortful pitch glide | 10 | Shortening and constriction of the pharynx30 | 1. Take a deep breath 2. Say the sound “eee” with effort moving from a low pitch to a high pitch |