Acoustic Analysis of Soccer Fans in Acute Phonotrauma After the Match

Abstract

Acute phonotrauma is the result of sound production by shouting or straining one's voice. In this study, we aimed to investigate the acute changes in the vocal folds and voices of soccer fans who voluntarily applied to our clinic after the soccer match where they engaged in acute phonotrauma. There are no other studies in the literature conducted on a similar sample group. This is a case-control study. Videolaryngostroboscopic (VLS) examination, acoustic voice analysis, and Voice Handicap Index (VHI) questionnaire were performed on 29 voluntary soccer fans included to the study before the match and at the first hour after the match. The values obtained were compared statistically with each other and with 29 control groups without voice pathology. The jitter, shimmer, and normalized noise energy values measured after the match increased significantly statistically compared with the pre-match level, but harmonic noise ratio value decreased significantly (P < 0.05). VHI scores increased significantly after the match according to the pre-match scores (P < 0.05). In the VLS examinations, there was no difference in the images before and after the match. It has been concluded that people who are using their voices loudly and intensely by shouting during the match are exposed to sound changes after the match, and if this situation becomes persistent, it may cause permanent voice pathologies. It is thought that VHI and acoustic voice analysis should be done together with VLS for diagnosis and follow-up of voice changes for which the VLS examination alone is not sufficient.