Effects of Cervical and Sacroiliac Mobilization Combined With Pilates on Bruxism

July 12, 2026 updated by: Elif Tuğçe Çil

The Effects of Cervical and Sacroiliac Mobilization Followed by Pilates-Based Training on Bruxism Severity, Perceived Stress, Pain Catastrophizing, Functional Capacity, and Proprioception in Individuals With Bruxism

This study investigated the effects of adding cervical and sacroiliac mobilization to a Pilates-based exercise program on pain, perceived stress, pain catastrophizing, kinesiophobia, jaw functional limitation, cervical range of motion, cervical joint position error, and sacroiliac joint screening findings in individuals with bruxism. Thirty-eight participants were randomly allocated to a Pilates-only group (n=19) or a Manual Therapy + Pilates group (n=19). Both groups completed an 8-week, twice-weekly Pilates protocol (16 sessions); the Manual Therapy + Pilates group additionally received cervical and sacroiliac mobilization.

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

Bruxism is a repetitive jaw-muscle activity associated with musculoskeletal and psychosocial dysfunction, including cervical spine impairment and altered proprioception. This randomized study examined whether adding cervical and sacroiliac mobilization to a standardized Pilates-based exercise program produces greater improvements than Pilates alone. Outcomes included pain intensity (VAS), perceived stress (PSS-10), pain catastrophizing (PCS), kinesiophobia (TSK-17), jaw functional limitation (JFLS-8), cervical range of motion (goniometry), cervical joint position error, and sacroiliac joint screening (Standing Forward Flexion Test, Gillet Test), assessed before and after the 8-week intervention.

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.
38

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)
    • Ataşehir
      • Istanbul, Ataşehir, Turkey (Türkiye), 34755
        • Noi Physio Pilates Studio

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:

  • Being between 18 and 65 years of age
  • Being diagnosed with bruxism (awake bruxism and/or sleep bruxism) based on clinical presentation and self-reported symptoms
  • Reporting symptoms such as jaw clenching, teeth grinding, masticatory muscle fatigue, or orofacial discomfort
  • Voluntarily agreeing to participate in the study and providing written informed consent
  • Having sufficient cognitive ability to understand and follow instructions
  • Being physically capable of participating in a structured exercise program
  • Not receiving any ongoing physiotherapy or rehabilitation program targeting the craniofacial, cervical, or lumbopelvic regions during the study period

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of surgical intervention involving the temporomandibular joint, cervical spine, or craniofacial region Presence of neurological, rheumatological, or systemic diseases that could affect movement, pain perception, or neuromuscular control Diagnosis of severe temporomandibular joint disorders that significantly limit jaw function or require specialized medical treatment Presence of acute musculoskeletal injury affecting the cervical spine, lumbar region, or lower extremities Current use of medications affecting neuromuscular function, such as muscle relaxants, sedatives, or psychotropic drugs Diagnosed psychiatric conditions that could interfere with participation or compliance with the study protocol Participation in any physiotherapy, rehabilitation, or structured exercise program targeting the craniofacial, cervical, or lumbopelvic regions during the study period Pregnancy, due to potential alterations in musculoskeletal and hormonal status Inability to attend regular sessions or complete the intervention protocol

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: None (Open Label)

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.
Active Comparator: Pilates-only
Participants completed an 8-week, twice-weekly Pilates-based exercise program (16 sessions, 30-40 minutes each).
Behavioral: Pilates-Based Exercise Program
A structured Pilates-based exercise program targeting core stability, posture, and cervical control, performed twice weekly for 8 weeks (16 sessions total, 30-40 minutes per session).
Experimental: Manual Therapy + Pilates
Participants received cervical and sacroiliac mobilization in addition to the same 8-week, twice-weekly Pilates-based exercise program (16 sessions, 30-40 minutes each).
Behavioral: Pilates-Based Exercise Program
A structured Pilates-based exercise program targeting core stability, posture, and cervical control, performed twice weekly for 8 weeks (16 sessions total, 30-40 minutes per session).
Procedure: Cervical and Sacroiliac Mobilization
Manual mobilization techniques applied to the cervical spine and sacroiliac joint, performed in addition to the Pilates-based exercise program.

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
Pain Intensity (VAS)
Time Frame: Baseline and after 8-week intervention
Pain intensity assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (0-10 cm), with higher scores indicating greater pain.
Baseline and after 8-week intervention
Perceived Stress (PSS-10)
Time Frame: Baseline and after 8-week intervention
Perceived stress assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10), with higher scores indicating greater perceived stress.
Baseline and after 8-week intervention
Pain Catastrophizing (PCS)
Time Frame: Baseline and after 8-week intervention
Pain catastrophizing assessed using the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), with higher scores indicating greater catastrophizing.
Baseline and after 8-week intervention
Cervical Joint Position Error
Time Frame: Baseline and after 8-week intervention
Cervical proprioception assessed via joint position error (flexion, extension, right/left rotation), with smaller error indicating better proprioceptive accuracy.
Baseline and after 8-week intervention

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
Cervical Range of Motion
Time Frame: Baseline and after 8-week intervention
Cervical range of motion (flexion, extension, right/left lateral flexion, right/left rotation) assessed with goniometry.
Baseline and after 8-week intervention
Kinesiophobia (TSK-17)
Time Frame: Baseline and after 8-week intervention
Fear of movement/kinesiophobia assessed using the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia-17 (TSK-17), with higher scores indicating greater kinesiophobia.
Baseline and after 8-week intervention
Sacroiliac Joint Screening
Time Frame: Baseline and after 8-week intervention
Sacroiliac joint status assessed using the Standing Forward Flexion Test and the Gillet Test, categorized as negative or positive (with side/structure indicated when positive).
Baseline and after 8-week intervention

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.
Elif Tuğçe Çil

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 4, 2026

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.
June 29, 2026

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.
June 29, 2026

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).
July 12, 2026

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.
July 12, 2026

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.
July 16, 2026

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.
July 16, 2026

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.
July 12, 2026

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.
July 1, 2026

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.
  • Yeditepe U-122

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data will not be shared with other researchers, as the informed consent obtained from participants did not include provisions for sharing de-identified data beyond the scope of this study.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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