The Effect of Cervical Stabilization Exercises in Temporomandibular Joint

November 14, 2025 updated by: Kumru Ateş, Bahçeşehir University

The Effect of Cervical Stabilization Exercises on Pain, Mobility and Functionality in Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction

The purpose of this study is; to determine the efficacy of cervical stabilization exercises in the treatment of patients with temporomandibular joint disfunction

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Thirty patients diagnosed with temporomandibular joint dysfunction who were included in the study were randomly assigned to the 15-person control group and the study group. Patient training and home exercises for jaw joint were given to the control group while cervical stabilization exercise program was given to the study group. The program was administered by the patients for 6 weeks. Pre-treatment and post-treatment evaluations; active and passive maximum mouth openness, joint sounds, cervical range of motion, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Short Form Quality of Life Scale (Short Form-36), Tampa Kinesophobia Scale in Temporomandibular Disorders (TKS-TMD) and Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), and the data obtained were analyzed statistically.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
30

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
      • Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)
        • Istanbul Yeniyüzyıl University Gaziosmanpaşa Hospital Dental Polyclinic

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Having a complaint of temporomandibular joint for more than 3 months.
  • To be literate in Turkish.
  • Having signed the Informed Consent Form.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • -Those with active infection
  • Presence of neurological, rheumatological and musculoskeletal problems that prevent exercise
  • Vertebrobasilar artery insufficiency

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Cervical Stabilization Group
cervical stabilization exercises, home exercises and patient education
Other: Cervical stabilization
Cervical range of motion exercises with craniocervical flexion, unilateral, bilateral and reciprocal shoulder flexion and abduction exercises, cervical isometric exercises with an exercise ball, unilateral, bilateral and reciprocal shoulder abduction when the exercise ball is between the wall and the head, and flexion exercises, exercise band and shoulder joint range of motion exercises with the exercise ball between the wall and the head were given to the study group. In the 3rd week, exercises were started with an exercise ball and elastic bands. All exercises were applied 3 times a day for 10 repetitions for 6 weeks.
Other: Home exercises
The exercise program included mouth opening and closing against resistance, right-left lateral flexion movements, active mouth opening and closing, bilateral lateral flexion, protrusion, and retrusion. Stretching required the patient to perform the restricted movement, pushing their jaw toward the restricted direction with their hand, holding for 10 seconds, relaxing, and repeating. It also included self-massage in the form of stroking. All exercises were performed three times a day for 6 weeks, with 10 repetitions.
Other: Patient educating
The training content includes information about the disease, recommendations for a soft diet, avoidance of parafunctional habits, demonstration of diaphragmatic breathing, and notifications to ensure correct posture.
Active Comparator: Control Group
Home exercises and patient education
Other: Home exercises
The exercise program included mouth opening and closing against resistance, right-left lateral flexion movements, active mouth opening and closing, bilateral lateral flexion, protrusion, and retrusion. Stretching required the patient to perform the restricted movement, pushing their jaw toward the restricted direction with their hand, holding for 10 seconds, relaxing, and repeating. It also included self-massage in the form of stroking. All exercises were performed three times a day for 6 weeks, with 10 repetitions.
Other: Patient educating
The training content includes information about the disease, recommendations for a soft diet, avoidance of parafunctional habits, demonstration of diaphragmatic breathing, and notifications to ensure correct posture.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
A Visual Analogue Scale
Time Frame: Change from initial assessment to 6 weeks after initial assessment
A Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) is one of the pain rating scales used for the first time in 1921 by Hayes and Patterson. It is often used in epidemiologic and clinical research to measure the intensity or frequency of various symptoms.The TMJ pain caused by resting and activity of the individuals was measured using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) (0-10 interval scale) and was valued according to VAS.
Change from initial assessment to 6 weeks after initial assessment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
ROM TMJ
Time Frame: Change from initial assessment to 6 weeks after initial assessment.
A 15 centimeter plastic ruler was used for ROM evaluation for TMJ. Depression of the active and passive mandible, lateral deviation (right and left), and protrusion were measured
Change from initial assessment to 6 weeks after initial assessment.
Cervical ROM
Time Frame: Change from initial assessment to 6 weeks after initial assessment
Cervical region ROM was evaluated with goniometer. Flexion, extension, rotation and lateral flexion (right and left) were measured. Each measurement was made 3 times and the mean value was recorded
Change from initial assessment to 6 weeks after initial assessment
Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale in Temporomandibular Disorders
Time Frame: Change from initial assessment to 6 weeks after initial assessment
A 12-question questionnaire developed by Visscher and his friends, used in temporomandibular joint dysfunctions. 4-point Likert-type scoring is used. A total score of 12-48 is obtained. The higher the score a person receives, the higher the kinesiophobia.
Change from initial assessment to 6 weeks after initial assessment

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Bahçeşehir University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 1, 2017

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
November 30, 2017

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 30, 2017

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
November 14, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 14, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
November 18, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
November 18, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 14, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • KumruA

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

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