Archives of oral biology
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Archives of oral biology · Dec 2013
Co-activation of jaw and neck muscles during submaximum clenching in the supine position.
The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that jaw clenching induces co-contraction and low-level long-lasting tonic activation (LLTA) of neck muscles in the supine position. ⋯ This study demonstrated for the first time moderate co-contractions of jaw and neck muscles in the supine position under controlled submaximum jaw clenching forces. LLTA of most neck muscles was observed, outlasting clenching episodes and indicating an additional neuromuscular interaction between the two muscle groups.