title: Relationship between forward head posture and diagnosed internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine if a sample of patients with internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint had a significantly greater amount of forward head posture than did an age- and gender-matched control group. Twenty-two patients at a single head, neck, and temporomandibular joint treatment center, who had the diagnosis of internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint, were compared with a control group of volunteers. The angle of each patient's head position was measured from four photographs (two of the patient sitting and two of the patient standing) with a diagonal line drawn from the spinous process of the seventh cervical vertebra to the tragus of the ear and a horizontal line drawn perpendicular to a plumb line suspended from the ceiling. The angles measured from each of the four photographs were averaged, and this figure was paired with that generated from an age- and gender-matched person in the control group. Results indicated that there was not a significantly greater degree of forward head posture in the experimental group.
authors.affiliation: Health Institute, Division of Methodist Hospitals Inc of Gary and Merrillville, Indiana 46410.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hackney
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bade
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clawson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006257:Head; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010781:Photography; D011187:Posture; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*