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PURPOSE: To assess indicators of speech quality and document the heart rate, blood pressure and metabolic requirement (VO2) of speaking while sitting, standing and walking.

METHODS: Thirty adults aged 37+/-14 years participated in all conditions. Heart rate and VO2 were obtained continuously with a Parvomedics metabolic system and expressed as ml/kg/min while subjects read silently, and aloud, or engaged in spontaneous conversation in a sitting, standing or walking (1 mph) condition. Blood pressure and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were obtained during the last minute of the respective tasks. Expert listeners, blinded to the purpose of the study and the protocol assessed randomized samples of the participants reading and spontaneous speech tasks during the 3 conditions.

RESULTS: Standing elevated metabolic rate 10-15% over the sitting position (3.3+/-. 7 vs. 3.6+/-. 9 ml/kg/min). Walking 1 mph …