PURPOSE: To identify and characterize the presence of body pain related to voice usage in choral singers. METHODS: A questionnaire investigating the occurrence of voice problems, vocal self-evaluation, and a report of body aches was given to 50 classical choral singers and 150 participants who were non-singers. Thirteen types of aches were investigated that were distributed into two groups: larynx proximal ache (temporomandibular joint, tongue, sore throat, neck, back of the neck, shoulder, and pain while speaking) and distal ache (headache, backache, chest, arms, hands, and ear ache). RESULTS: Classical choral singers had less presence of pain than the general population. The most related pain types reported in singers were sore throat, chest, and shoulder, respectively. CONCLUSION: Reduced vocal signs of pain in singers may suggest that singers can benefit from vocal training once they have better voice usage due to voice practice, offering a protective effect to the development of voice disorders since voice training builds up a better musculoskeletal endurance.
Voice; Pain; Voice training; Pain perception; Self-assessment