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Exploring The Efficacy Of The Expiratory Muscle Strength Trainer To Improve Swallowing In Inclusion Body Myositis: A Pilot Study, Nika Mohannak, Gemma Pattison, Bronwyn Radich, Kathryn Hird, Erin Godecke, Frank L. Mastaglia, Merrilee Needham

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM) is the most common acquired myopathy in older individuals with more than two thirds of patients experiencing impaired swallowing. There are currently no standardized exercise therapies to improve or sustain swallowing despite good evidence for exercise therapy in limb muscles. Reduced upper esophageal sphincter (UES) opening is a common abnormality associated with dysphagia in IBM. This pilot study recruited IBM patients with abnormal UES function and dysphagia into an exercise program. It was hypothesised that regular practice using the Expiratory Muscle Strength Trainer (EMST) device would improve hyolaryngeal movement by strengthening suprahyoid musculature and facilitate opening …