Manual Therapy and Exercises Applied to Cervical Spine in Patients With Temporomandibular Disorders

Effects of Manual Therapy and Exercises Applied to Cervical Spine in Patients With Temporomandibular Disorders: Pilot Study

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a manual therapy and exercise program, focused on the rehabilitation of cervical function, on clinical signs and mandibular function in subjects with TMD.

Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is a general term that refers to disorders associated with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the masticatory muscles. Among the main symptoms are pre-auricular pain (in the region of the TMJ) and/or pain in the masticatory muscles.

It's usual to observe that subjects with TMD also present cervical alteration. Beside this, cervical postural alterations produced by muscle tension can influence mandibular position.

The intervention protocol was based on manual therapy, stabilization exercises and stretching.

The technique are:.

1. Upper cervical flexion mobilization;
2. C5 central posterior-anterior mobilization;
3. Stabilization exercise: Cranio-cervical flexor stabilization exercise
4. Stretching of muscles: upper trapezius, scalenes, semispinalis capitis; splenius capitis, sternocleidomastoid

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients diagnosed with myogenic or mixed temporomandibular disorders

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients diagnosed with arthrogenic or discogenic temporomandibular disorders