Investigation of the acute effect of cervical spinal manipulation on maximum mouth opening in healthy young people

Objective: High-velocity, low-amplitude (HVLA) cervical spinal manipulation (CSM) techniques are commonly utilized to address dysfunctions and alleviate symptoms associated with musculoskeletal disorders.. There are underlying neurophysiological links between movements of the mandible and cervical spine. The range of maximum mouth opening (MMO) is an important factor in assessing the clinical condition of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). This study was conducted to investigate the acute effects of the CSM technique on MMO measurements. Material and Methods: A total of 46 healthy volunteers (24 males, 22 females) who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Individual characteristics of the participants (age, gender, height and weight) and the mean value of 3 repeated measurements of MMO were recorded in the data form. MMO was calculated with the help of a digital caliper by performing 3 repeated measurements before and immediately after the application of the CSM technique. Descriptive statistics (number, percentage, mean), Paired-Samples T Test, and Independent Samples T-test were used for comparative analyses. Results: The mean MMO of the participants before the application of the CSM technique was 46.31 ± 4.40 mm (range: 41.00–56.20 mm). Following the CSM application, the mean MMO increased significantly to 49.83 ± 4.36 mm (range: 42.40–57.70 mm). This represents an average increase of 3.52 mm in MMO, which was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Due to the relationship of TMJ with the cervical region, it has revealed the limits of the amount of MMO in young people after manipulation in mm. These data may contribute to the improvement of TMJ function. CSM may be useful in increasing painless MMO.