We consider the effects of spin-phonon coupling within the slave-boson
mean-field treatment of the extended t-J model. With no additional as
sumptions the theory is found to give a semi-quantitative account of t
he frequency and linewidth anomalies observed for certain phonon modes
in YBa2Cu3O7 at the superconducting transition. We report also invest
igations of the role of this coupling in affecting thermodynamic prope
rties and spin dynamics.