Purpose: In this study, the aim is to examine the effectiveness of vocal warm-up exercises by measuring the acoustic parameters of postmenopausal women and young women before and after vocal warm-up exercises. Method: 23 postmenopausal women and 23 young women were included in the study. Comprehensive voice warm-up exercises were applied to the two groups in one session. In the study, acoustic (fundemental frequency, jjtter, shimmer, noise harmonic ratio and soft phonation index) parameters of young women and menopausal women were measured with MDVP, and the data were compared within and between groups. The obtained data were analyzed with the SPSS 22.0 package program. In the comparisons between the groups, the data of the parametric parameters were analysed by Independent Sample t-Test; The data of the non-parametric parameters were analyzed with the Mann-Whitney U test. In within group comparisons, analyzes were performed independently for younger women and menopausal women; the data of the parametric parameters were analysed by Paired Sample t-Test; The data of the non-parametric parameters were analyzed with the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test. Results: In the first measurements between the groups, the fundamental frequency was found to be significantly lower in postmenopausal women than in young women; shimmer, noise harmonic ratio and soft phonation index parameters were found to be significantly higher than young women. In the last measurements between the groups after the vocal warm-up exercises the mean of the last measurement of the fundamental frequency of the young women was found to be significantly higher than the mean of the last measurement of the fundamental frequency of the women in the postmenopausal period. However, no significant difference was found in the parameters of jitter, shimmer, noise harmonic ratio and soft phonation index. As a result of the comparison of the pre-test and post-test data of the postmenopausal women for the group after the vocal warm-up exercises, it was found that the fundamental frequency was significantly higher after the exercises, and there was a significant decrease in the parameters of the jitter, shimmer and soft phonation index. It was found that there was no significant difference in the noise harmonic ratio parameter after the application. In young women, as a result of the comparison of the pre-test and post-test data within the group after the vocal warm-up exercises, it was found that the fundamental frequency increased, and there was a significant decrease in the jitter and soft phonation index parameter values. However, no significant difference was found in the parameters of shimmer and noise harmonic ratio after the application. Conclusion: As a result of the findings obtained from the study, it is seen that the voice characteristics of women may vary during the menopause period and that the vocal warm-up exercises applied in women in this period are effective on acoustic parameters.
Keywords
voice, menopause, hormone, vocal warm-up exercises, acoustic parameters
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