Immediate curative effects of exercise therapy in patients with myalgia of the masticatory muscles

Abstract

Background: Exercise therapy is occasionally considered as an initial treatment for temporomandibular disorders. However, pain can be exacerbated during exercise therapy.Objective: To investigate the immediate curative effects of exercise therapy in patients with masticatory muscle myalgia.Methods: Fifty-nine patients with masticatory muscle myalgia were included.Therapists performed exercise therapy (stretched the painful masseter and/or cervical muscles along the direction of muscle contraction) in 10 rounds of traction, each lasting 10 s. The patient's pain-free maximum mouth opening distance and degree of pain (VAS value) before and immediately after exercise therapy were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for the subgroup comparisons.Results: Mouth opening increased from 41 to 46 (IQR 43-48) mm and pain alleviation from 48 (IQR 31-56) to 21 (IQR 10-56) immediately following exercise therapy (p < .001 for both). None of the patients experienced pain exacerbation or reduction in mouth opening post-exercise. No difference in mouth opening distance changes according to sex, painful side, painful site and therapist were observed (p > .05 for all). Pain reduction was greater in patients with unilateral pain (26, IQR 12-39) than those with bilateral (13, IQR 5-25) (p = .019). There were no differences in the change in the degree of pain according to sex, painful site and therapist (p > .05 for all). Conclusion:Exercise therapy immediately enlarged the mouth opening distance and reduced myalgia; therefore, it could be helpful in managing masticatory muscle myalgia.

Effects of Jaw-Opening Exercises with/without Pain for Temporomandibular Disorders: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Jaw-opening exercises are the standard exercise therapy for TMDs. Several studies have shown that jaw-opening exercises are effective in decreasing muscle and joint pain and restoring TMJ mobility [ 8 , 9 , 10 ]. However, almost all studies evaluated the effectiveness of jaw-opening exercises, and, to date, no study has examined the effect of jaw-opening exercises on strength and duration [ 11 ].…”