Football games sometimes result in terrible injuries – and they're not always on the field. Injuries can take place inside the throats of screaming fans at the stadium, in sports bars, or even at home watching TV with friends. According to leading voice expert Renee Grant-Williams, sustained yelling can brutally tear up a fan's vocal cords resulting in damage that may persist long after Super Bowl Sunday.

"Whenever anyone yells repeatedly, it puts severe friction and pressure on their vocal cords. A fan risks becoming hoarse, losing their voice or even developing nodes," says Grant-Williams. "Nodes are like calluses, they form on the vocal cords to protect them from strain. However, nodes get in the way and keep the vocal cords from fitting together cleanly, causing the voice to become hoarse and unpredictable. Over time, these nodes may require surgery."

Grant-Williams offers suggestions for voice protection during the Super Bowl:

1) Dress appropriately. Layer clothing so the layers can be removed or added as needed. Fans attending the game should take a warm scarf to protect the throat.

2) Drink plenty of fluids. Limit beverages that dehydrate, such as alcohol and caffeinated drinks.

3) Eat smart. Eat a good balance of protein and carbohydrates. Limit the intake of salty foods like salted nuts and chips.

4) When expressing support for your team, breathe low and support the yelling by contracting your lower abdominal muscles. Do not scream from the throat.

"Just as in football, the best defense for the voice is a good offense," says Grant-Williams. "Don't wait until the damage is done to take precautions. Even though it is normal to be enthusiastic during a sports event, think twice before yelling too much."

Voice coach Renee Grant-Williams presents communication skills programs and coaches business executives, sales professionals and celebrity singers including Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana), Keith Urban, Christina Aguilera, Randy Travis, Faith Hill, the Dixie Chicks, Tim McGraw, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Weir (Grateful Dead), Martina McBride, and Huey Lewis. A professional speaker and NSA member, she is the author of "Voice Power: Using Your Voice to Captivate, Persuade, and Command Attention" (AMACOM, NY), which has been endorsed by Paul Harvey, was selected for the "Soundview Executive Book Summaries" program, and has been translated into Italian, Japanese, and Arabic. She created and taught a course in public speaking for the Barnes & Noble Online University.

Grant-Williams has written for or been quoted by: United Press Int'l, Associated Press, Business Week, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Esquire, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, New York Post and San Francisco Chronicle. Broadcast appearances include ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, Bravo, Bloomberg, MTV, CMT, GAC, USA, BBC, PBS and NPR. Grant-Williams is a former voice instructor at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music as well as the former director of the Division of Vocal Music at the University of California, Berkeley.

For more information or to schedule an interview with Renee Grant-Williams, call 615-259-4900 or visit www.MyVoiceCoach.com/Media.html.