title: Jaw pain and tenderness levels during and after repeated sustained maximum voluntary protrusion.
abstract: Eight normal male volunteers performed 4 repeated sustained voluntary isometric protrusive jaw muscle contractions of 25, 50, 75 and 100% of maximum effort. Each contraction was sustained until maximum pain tolerance was reached, and all 4 contractions were completed within a single 120-min experimental period. A 30-min rest period followed each sustained contraction. The following measurements were made before and 1, 2, 3, and 7 days after the experiment: (1) superficial masseter and anterior temporalis muscle pain threshold; (2) maximum active pain-free jaw opening and lateral excursion; and (3) current overall jaw pain level. None of these measurements showed any significant post-experimental changes. Contrary to common clinical belief, these results suggest that in healthy male subjects, significant jaw pain and tenderness following repeated sustained isometric protrusion efforts are difficult to induce.
authors.affiliation: Dental Research Institute, School of Dentistry, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1762 U.S.A. BASE Unit, Johnsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1766 U.S.A.
authors.forename: Glenn T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Adler
authors.forename: Jack J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction; D007568:Jaw; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology