OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of the jaw-opening exercise on decreased upper esophageal sphincter (UES) opening while swallowing. DESIGN: Intervention study: before-after trial with 4-week follow-up evaluation. SETTING: A university school of dentistry dental hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with dysphagia (N=8; 7 men, 1 woman; average age ± SD, 70.5±11.3y; age range, 54-86y). INTERVENTIONS: All patients performed a jaw-opening exercise to strengthen the suprahyoid muscles. The exercise involved opening the jaw to its maximum and maintaining this position for 10 seconds. Each exercise set consisted of 5 repetitions, and 2 sets were carried out daily for 4 weeks. The effectiveness of the exercise was evaluated by a videofluorographic swallowing study (VFSS). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Hyoid elevation, UES opening, pharynx passage time, and pharyngeal residue after swallowing at preexercise and postexercise were compared by VFSS. RESULTS: Compared with before starting the exercise, significant improvements were observed in the extent of upward movement of the hyoid bone (P<.05), the amount of UES opening (P<.05), and the time for pharynx passage (P<.05) 4 weeks after initiating the exercise. Pharyngeal residue decreased in some subjects, and no increases were noted in any subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The jaw-opening exercise is an effective treatment for dysphagia caused by dysfunction of hyoid elevation and UES opening.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of the jaw-opening exercise on decreased upper esophageal sphincter (UES) opening while swallowing. DESIGN: Intervention study: before-after trial with 4-week follow-up evaluation. SETTING: A university school of dentistry dental hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with dysphagia (N=8; 7 men, 1 woman; average age ± SD, 70.5±11.3y; age range, 54-86y). INTERVENTIONS: All patients performed a jaw-opening exercise to strengthen the suprahyoid muscles. The exercise involved opening the jaw to its maximum and maintaining this position for 10 seconds. Each exercise set consisted of 5 repetitions, and 2 sets were carried out daily for 4 weeks. The effectiveness of the exercise was evaluated by a videofluorographic swallowing study (VFSS). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Hyoid elevation, UES opening, pharynx passage time, and pharyngeal residue after swallowing at preexercise and postexercise were compared by VFSS. RESULTS: Compared with before starting the exercise, significant improvements were observed in the extent of upward movement of the hyoid bone (P<.05), the amount of UES opening (P<.05), and the time for pharynx passage (P<.05) 4 weeks after initiating the exercise. Pharyngeal residue decreased in some subjects, and no increases were noted in any subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The jaw-opening exercise is an effective treatment for dysphagia caused by dysfunction of hyoid elevation and UES opening.
Authors: S A C Kraaijenga; L van der Molen; M M Stuiver; H J Teertstra; F J M Hilgers; M W M van den Brekel Journal: Dysphagia Date: 2015-04-04 Impact factor: 3.438