The Normal Movements of the Hyoid Bone During Swallow

The position of the hyoid bone during quiet breathing and its movement during pharyngeal swallow, as well as its relation to the movement of the epiglottis and the elevation of the rima glottidis were studied with cineradiography in 50 nondysphagial volunteers. The movement of the hyoid bone occurred in either a two-step (40 patients) or a one-step (10 patients) fashion. The findings confirm that pharyngeal swallow is executed with precision and with only small variability in measured parameters.