The efficacy of supraglottic swallow as an indirect swallowing exercise by analysis of hyoid bone movement.

Supraglottic swallow (SGS) is one of the swallowing maneuvers used to enhance safe bolus passage into the esophagus and to avoid aspiration into the trachea. We examined the efficacy of SGS as an indirect swallowing exercise by quantifying hyoid bone movements during SGS. Videofluorography was used to analyze SGS in 10 healthy volunteers. SGS increased the hyoid bone posterior and superior excursion, and maintained these displacements longer, suggesting the effectiveness of the SGS as an indirect swallowing exercise. Thus SGS could be used not only as air way protection but also as an indirect swallowing exercise to strengthen the muscles adhering to the hyoid bone, and to expand the range of motion of the hyoid bone.