A randomized clinical trial assessing the efficacy of adding 6 x 6 exercises to self-care for the treatment of masticatory myofascial pain.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether Rocabado's 6 x 6 exercise program has an added benefit to self-care alone in reducing myofascial jaw pain and improving forward head posture (FHP) in subjects with myofascial pain and FHP at the end of 4 weeks.


METHODS
In this double-blinded trial, 45 subjects (43 female and 2 male, mean age 24 years) were randomly assigned to self-care or self-care + 6 X 6 exercises. The primary outcome measure was intensity of jaw pain on a numerical graphic rating scale (NGRS). Secondary outcome measures were jaw pain on a verbal rating scale (VRS), neck pain (NGRS and VRS), and change in head posture. Twenty-one subjects per group resulted in 80% power to detect a difference of 2 in the NGRS for intensity of jaw pain. Alpha was set at .05 for statistical significance.


RESULTS
Both groups showed significant statistical (P = .001) and clinical (> 2 on NGRS) improvement in jaw pain intensity. Jaw pain and neck pain improved significantly (P < .01) in both groups. There were no differences between groups for any of the measures. A significant change in head posture was not detected in either group.


CONCLUSIONS
The 6 x 6 exercises were not significantly more beneficial in reducing the intensity of jaw and neck pain than self-care alone. Furthermore, they were not beneficial in improving head posture within the 4-week duration of this study.
Mulet
Mariona
M
TMD and Orofacial Pain Division University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, 6-320 Moos Tower, 515 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Decker
Karen L
KL
Look
John O
JO
Lenton
Patricia A
PA
Schiffman
Eric L
EL
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015444:Exercise; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008410:Masticatory Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D011187:Posture; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods