Laryngeal Massage for Performers: Prevention, Recovery, and Optimization
This blog dives into how vocal professionals, particularly singers, actors, and broadcasters, can use laryngeal massage proactively to avoid injury, recover from high-use periods, and maintain vocal agility.
Key Points:
Scheduling massage before/after tours, shows, or studio sessions
How frequent voice users can recognize early signs of tension
Building a preventive care plan (massage, warm-ups, hydration, rest)
How massage fits into holistic voice care with stroboscopy, vocal coaching, and lifestyle changes
Tips for maintaining gains between appointments
How often do I need a laryngeal massage? This question comes up frequently when describing an optimization approach to singers and vocal athletes. The framework used at Center for Vocal Health is based on the concept of singer as athlete. Just as a sports athlete has manual therapies done before a game, after a game, and periodically throughout the year, so too should a vocal athlete. Singers often utilize laryngeal massage before and after tour, with a periodic check-in for manual therapies when tour takes them to cities with experts in voice manipulation. Singers with a particularly physically demanding set (ie, significant choreography, limited rest days, challenging rep, etc) will often travel with body work experts. Voice massage should be included in part of their maintenance routine.
Laryngeal massage becomes one part of a vocal athletes’ maintenance routine. Unlike other sports, vocal athletes often rely on a symptom or problem-based approach to care. They only call for help when there is an issue, such as throat pain, loss of range, or illness. Sports athletes are more proactive, and rely on a preventative approach. This includes regular check ups, therapy, and massage.
Center for Vocal Health has developed Voice Launch, a comprehensive program that builds vocal health strategies into an artist’s schedule in a customized way, working around recording, tours, etc. The base components include:
Annual stroboscopy with the at-home (primary) laryngologist. This visit should incorporate
Updated health history, new medications with an assessment of impact on voice, etc
Review of challenges in previous year that may be handled better in the upcoming year
Updated stroboscopy with comparison to all prior exams to gauge changes and implications
Optimization of laryngeal health, based on current findings
Hearing test
Annual check-in with voice therapy. This should include
Assessment of speaking and singing voice
Assessment of vocal demand and muscular status
Laryngeal massage
Voice optimization
Some of these components may be inserted into an artist’s annual schedule based on the known bookings for the upcoming year. This may be done in collaboration with management and the tour team.
Vocal athletes who plan their year with vocal health in mind will have a more secure voice, fewer cancellations and less anxiety around voice issues, knowing they have a team in place as well as ongoing care. It provides an ease that improves performance, quality of life, and mental health for the busy vocal athlete.
