Exercise for jaw disorders: daily-life benefits remain uncertain
A review suggests exercise may improve everyday activity, participation and quality of life in people with jaw disorders. Confidence in the evidence was very low.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
For people with musculoskeletal jaw disorders, therapeutic exercise may improve patients' reports of activity, participation and quality of life. The review considered both jaw exercises and broader exercise approaches. However, the authors had very low confidence in the combined evidence, so the apparent benefits for daily life remain uncertain.
Confidence in the combined evidence was very low. The abstract provides no effect sizes, comparison details or follow-up durations, limiting assessment of the size and persistence of any benefit.
The question concerned daily life
The researchers examined patients' reports of activity, participation and quality of life. They wanted to understand exercise effects beyond jaw pain and movement, making everyday experience the focus of this review.
Several exercise approaches were included
Included approaches ranged from jaw-specific exercises to aerobic, postural and relaxation exercises. The abstract suggests possible improvements across these approaches, but does not present a direct comparison establishing which approach works better.
The original publication
Therapeutic Exercise Effects on Activity, Participation and Quality of Life in Individuals With Temporomandibular Disorders: A Systematic Review.
Scrase S, Forbes R, Lindop A et al.
J Oral Rehabil · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40490989
- Record checked
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