Gentle and Effective Exercises for TMJ Pain Relief
Hello everyone! Today, we'll be focusing on TMJ pain and jaw discomfort, as well as safe and effective exercises to strengthen and alleviate this issue. Whether your jaw pain stems from tight muscles, clenching, grinding, or joint-related issues, these exercises can offer relief and promote better jaw health.
They also pair fantastically with jaw stretching/mobility exercises which you can find HERE
Exercise 1: Jaw Movement Training
Begin by training the movements of your jaw to improve awareness and function. Open and close your mouth while keeping your tongue against the roof of your mouth (hard palate). Perform side-to-side movements and jaw protrusions while maintaining tongue contact. This exercise helps address deviations in jaw motion and brings balance to both sides of the jaw.
Exercise 2: Controlling Rotation
To improve control and awareness of jaw rotation, place fingers or thumbs on each side of your jaw as you gently open and close. Notice if one side tends to move forward more than the other. This exercise promotes better symmetry and balance in jaw movement.
Exercise 3: Adding Resistance
Engage the muscles further by adding resistance to your jaw movements. Use your hands, particularly your thumbs, to offer gentle resistance against the jaw as you perform jaw openings, closings, and lateral movements. This exercise helps to strengthen the jaw muscles and build stability.
Exercise 4: Cross Condular Mobilization
To address joint-related issues, perform cross-condular mobilization. Gently press one hand on top of your jaw and the other underneath. Apply light pressure, pressing your jaw against your hand while simultaneously pushing your hand into your jaw. This exercise aims to stretch and mobilize the jaw joint, potentially easing discomfort.
Strengthening the Neck and Shoulders:
Remember that jaw health is interconnected with neck and shoulder strength. Incorporate exercises like deep neck flexors and deep neck stances to improve neck stability. Additionally, perform scapular setting exercises to strengthen the shoulders and upper back, supporting overall jaw health.
How Often to Perform the Exercises:
You can incorporate these exercises into your daily routine while brushing your teeth, performing around six repetitions each time. If you experience mild pain, it's okay to do two to three sets of 10 repetitions throughout the day.
Remember to listen to your body and perform the exercises at a comfortable pace. Thank you for joining us, and until next time, take care and stay resilient!
Need help dealing with YOUR jaw pain? Click HERE to book your appointment with Dr Stewart!