Ultrasound evaluation of muscle activation during swallowing maneuvers in adults without swallowing disorders

Ultrasound (US), a widely used technology that is considered safe for medical applications, represents a technology that has started to be used in swallowing function evaluations and in the rehabilitation process. Swallowing maneuvers are frequently preferred therapy options. However, the existing literature to date shows that the use of ultrasound in the assessment and intervention of swallowing disorders is infrequent, and very few studies have examined muscle activation and laryngeal elevation during swallowing maneuvers. This study aims to compare the movements and timing of the floor of the mouth muscles in different age and gender groups and to obtain quantitative data on hyoid-laryngeal convergence during the maneuvers in order to validate the use of US during the application of three swallowing maneuvers frequently used in the intervention of disorders occurring in the oropharyngeal phase of swallowing. According to the findings, it was found that the duration of swallowing maneuvers increased with age and the most effective technique for hyoid-larynx convergence was the Mendelsohn maneuver. However, Mendelsohn's maneuver was also found to be the maneuver in which the subjects had the most difficulty in cooperating. Therefore, this study shows that ultrasound can be used during the application of maneuvers and provides muscle activation information regarding swallowing maneuvers.