2002 Volume 27 Issue 3 Pages 286-291
The purpose of this study was to examine if the result of electromyography (EMG)examination of the levator veli palatini muscle (LVP) is repeatable. Three speakers with normal function, who were estimated to show consistent velopharyngeal function (VPF), were used as subjects. EMG of LVP was recorded in twice with different electrodes for the same tasks: blowing at maximum intensity, and phonation. The EMG activity was expressed as a percentage ( %peak EMG) relative to the maximum value of EMG activity observed throughout one examination, to reduce the influence of sensitivity and placement of electrodes. The correlation coefficient of values of %peak EMG between the first and the second examinations, for all subjects during the speech tasks, was significant. This result indicated that %peak EMG of LVP may be reproducible, and suggested that %peak EMG of LVP might be useful to evaluate VPF change sequentially.
