Name a common compensatory maneuver to reduce penetration during swallowing.

• A. Effortful swallow
• B. Chin-tuck (chin-down) posture
• C. Shaker exercise
• D. Mendelsohn maneuver

Answer: (B)

A compensatory approach to protect the airway during a swallow is to tuck the chin toward the chest. This chin-tuck posture helps narrow and shield the laryngeal entrance, promoting better epiglottic folding and airway closure so material is less likely to enter the airway (penetration). It’s a quick, reversible modification used during eating or drinking to reduce airway invasion without requiring changes to strength or timing.

The other techniques are primarily rehabilitative exercises or postures that aim to strengthen or retrain swallowing physiology over time rather than provide immediate airway protection. An effortful swallow increases tongue base propulsion to clear residue; the Shaker exercise focuses on improving hyolaryngeal elevation for better opening of the upper esophageal sphincter; the Mendelsohn maneuver prolongs laryngeal elevation to improve swallow efficiency.