title: Static body postural misalignment in individuals with temporomandibular disorders: a systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The association between body postural changes and temporomandibular disorders (TMD) has been widely discussed in the literature, however, there is little evidence to support this association.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to conduct a systematic review to assess the evidence concerning the association between static body postural misalignment and TMD.
  
  
  METHODS
  A search was conducted in the PubMed/Medline, Embase, Lilacs, Scielo, Cochrane, and Scopus databases including studies published in English between 1950 and March 2012. Cross-sectional, cohort, case control, and survey studies that assessed body posture in TMD patients were selected. Two reviewers performed each step independently. A methodological checklist was used to evaluate the quality of the selected articles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty studies were analyzed for their methodological quality. Only one study was classified as a moderate quality study and two were classified as strong quality studies. Among all studies considered, only 12 included craniocervical postural assessment, 2 included assessment of craniocervical and shoulder postures,, and 6 included global assessment of body posture.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is strong evidence of craniocervical postural changes in myogenous TMD, moderate evidence of cervical postural misalignment in arthrogenous TMD, and no evidence of absence of craniocervical postural misalignment in mixed TMD patients or of global body postural misalignment in patients with TMD. It is important to note the poor methodological quality of the studies, particularly those regarding global body postural misalignment in TMD patients.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurosciências e Ciências do Comportamento, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thaís C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Chaves
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biomecânica, Medicina e Reabilitação do Aparelho Locomotor, FMRP, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Turci
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biomecânica, Medicina e Reabilitação do Aparelho Locomotor, FMRP, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carina F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Pinheiro
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Social, FMRP, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Letícia M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biomecânica, Medicina e Reabilitação do Aparelho Locomotor, FMRP, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Débora B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Grossi
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D011187:Posture; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*