Changes in Swallowing Activity with Differences in Posture

―Posture setting in consideration of neck rotation and trunk tilt―

Abstract

Changes in swallowing activity with differences in neck rotation and trunk tilt angle were considered. The basic posture was set to the semi-Fowler's position of 60°, and four conditions were set up in consideration of the correlation of neck rotation and trunk tilt angle. ①Posture A：right middle neck, right middle trunk, ②Posture B：30° neck rotation, right middle trunk, ③Posture C：right middle neck, 30° trunk tilt, ④Posture D：right middle neck position,15° trunk tilt, The study subjects were ten healthy adults who do not have a problem in dysphagia function as a healthy group, and 13 cerebrovascular-disease patients as a disease group. For the healthy group, subjects were made to voluntarily swallow water of 30 ml at normal temperature, and the amount of muscular activities of each peak hour was measured (MEB-5504, Nihon Kohden Corp.) and suprahyoids were extracted by the bipolar lead, In the disease group, the Water Swallowing Test and the Repetitive Saliva Swallowing Test (RSST) were performed after 5 minutes of quietness for each of four postures. Between each posture, the Water Swallowing Test carried out the profile and RSST carried out comparison examination of the number of times of a judgment, respectively. To examine the amount of muscular activities in the healthy group, the value of posture B was compared with that of posture A, and a significantly high value was shown, and at least the figure was compared with the value of posture B and, as for the value of C, showed a significantly low value. To examine the profile of the Water Swallowing Test in the disease group, at posture B, there were few normal groups intentionally compared with posture A, and C and D, In comparing the number of times of judgment of RSST, posture B showed a low value compared with posture A, and it was almost the same as posture A in posture C and posture D. From the above result, the importance of carrying out a setup in consideration of the correlation of neck and trunk was suggested in posture of the semi-Fowler's position of 60°. That is, only the neck was not rotated to dysphagia, but after holding to right middle, the neck was considered to be more effective to make it trunk tilt.