Is There an Exercise for TMJ?

As broad as the subject is for exercise, it also covers the body’s smallest but most useful of joints, the temporomandibular joint.  These joints are found on the right and left side of the head connecting the upper jaw and the lower jaw and are very helpful joints in performing activities such as eating and speaking.

It makes opening and closing of the mouth possible.  Sometimes though, due to injury or from too much use, the TMJ is prone to muscle tension and becomes misaligned.  This condition further complicates things with symptoms such as headache, facial muscle pain, ringing in the ears, toothache, neck strain and shoulder pain.

To prevent temporomandibular syndrome, there are many treatment options that have been designed to focus on the TMJ.  One of these treatment options are jaw exercises.  There are numerous jaw exercises and they are so simple you can perform them at any time of day, even as you go about other daily activities like driving, reading, watching TV.

TMJ exercises promote relaxation for the jaw in highly stressful situations so instead of clenching the jaw or succumbing to teeth grinding, these exercises are performed.  They also increase the range of motion for the jaw and strengthen the jaw.  The most basic of jaw exercises almost does not qualify as an exercise because it just requires that the mouth be kept closed but the upper and lower teeth are not clenched and touching.

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Maintaining this relaxed position throughout the day means less stress on the TMJ and the jaw all together.  When the jaw is relaxed enough, you can slowly move your lower jaw from side to side and open and close the mouth to build joint strength.

You can also open your mouth to the widest but most comfortable it could go and then slowly close it.  This is a stretching exercise for the jaw and with repeated movements that you could do at any time of the day, it makes sure that the muscles and the joints are strong enough to resist normal wear and tear.

Placing your fist directly under your chin and pressing on the fist as you gently open your jaw is another exercise that could rest the jaw bone.   You have to hold this position for eight to ten seconds and repeat about ten times.  Make sure that your TMJ does not click while doing this exercise.  You can press one finger on each side of the jaw to apply a little pressure while you open and close your mouth.

This exercise can be done in front of a mirror too so that you can see if there is a misalignment in your upper and lower jaws.  The pressure from each of the fingers repairs the alignment of the jaws lessening the possibility of dislocation in the future.

With a relaxed, loose and aligned jaw, you can also hold your chin between your thumb and index finger.  Shake your chin back and forth slowly and carefully.  The jaw releases further and with enough repetitions and relaxed position; you will eventually retrain your jaw to go back to a relaxed, nontense position after eating or talking maintaining a healthy TMJ.