An interesting article on the effectiveness of manual therapy for Temporomandibular disorders
Effectiveness of Manual Therapy and Home Physical Therapy for Temporomandibular Disorders In this study, researchers evaluated the impact of combining manual therapy with home exercises for treating temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Key Findings: Study Design: 40 participants with myogenous TMD or anterior disc displacement were randomly assigned to either a home exercise program alone or combined with manual therapy. The interventions lasted for four weeks, with treatments three times a week. Interventions: Both groups received education on ergonomics, pain, posture, and mandibular exercises. The manual therapy group also received soft tissue mobilization, jaw isometrics, TMJ and cervical traction, and muscle stretching. Outcomes: Both groups showed significant improvements in pain and maximal mouth opening. However, the manual therapy group experienced greater reductions in pain (22.5 points at rest and 55.5 points with stress) and better improvement in mouth opening (5.8 mm) compared to the home exercise group (13.0 and 23.0 points, and 2.4 mm, respectively). Clinical Implications: Combining manual therapy with home exercises is more effective in reducing TMD-related pain and improving mouth opening than home exercises alone. This suggests that incorporating manual therapy into treatment plans can enhance outcomes for patients with TMD. For more discussion on optimizing TMD treatment strategies, feel free to connect. #TemporomandibularDisorders #ManualTherapy #PhysicalTherapy #PainManagement Read the whole article here: https://bit.ly/3YYBvZ4