Today in 2017, we understand more about the role maloclussion or as we say colloqually "THE BITE" plays to affect the athlete.

 

If you have dysfunction related to the Teeth, TMJ and Muscles of Mastication dysfunction can show up elsewhere in your body.

 

As a result of muscle accomodation the affect on the Cranio-Mandibular-Cervical relationship causes a posterior rotation of the cranium with a resultant forward head posture(FHP).  FHP will result muscular and skeletal physiologic changes that affect strength, flexibility, airway space and balance.

 

To understand more about how this can affect your performance :

 

 

There was a study entitled: 

Craniomandibular Orthopedics and Athletic Performance in the Long Distance Runner: A Three Year Study

Walter F Garabee DDS

Basal Facts

 

The purpose of the study was to obtain evidence which supported the hypothesis that a correlation exists between running performance and the correction of maloclussion and its resultant relationship with the craniomandibular muscles.

 

This study used MORA appliance theory to fabricate the mouthpieces used which are similar but not exactly what we use today. 

 

My impression is that this would carry over to other endurance sports eg. cycling, track & field running distances and cross country.

 

The common thread would be a maloclussion. If you just look at the faces of runners you see the strain on their faces and the clenching of their teeth. If you look at their facial profile you will see jaw asymmetry. These athletes are top performers as result of months of preparation, rigorous training, running 50 plus miles per week, nutrition and hydration regime, strength and conditioning, physical therapy but PRI physical therapy  in particular with their unique understand and focus on forward head posture, rounded shoulders and it's relationship to respiration, the pelvis and full body movement.

 

With the athlete fine tuned and in their best shape!

 

Still with that said - Can it be improved upon?

Can we put another - "Tool in your Toolbox"?

 

Back to the study. 

Please note when you read what the runner said:

    1. The MORA mouthpiece is the only variable.

    2.  If you have dysfunction related to the teeth, TMJ and muscles of mastication can dysfunctional movement show up elsewhere in the body?

    3.  Can mouthguards and oral mouthpieces that change the maxillo/mandibular jaaw relation affect the body physiology?   

    4.  Take note of a recurrent theme which is improved performance and improved fatigue resistance.

 

What the runners said about the use of the MORA mouthpiece is as follows. 

 

Runner R.K. Reported:

1. His legs were stronger, felt that they had greater resilience.

2. In running hills, the hills seemed to be handled much easier and upon reaching the apex of the hill the body and legs recovered much quicker than when he ran without the mouthpiece. The arms seemed more relaxed, they were easier to carry. 

3. He wore MORA every other week for the first 6 weeks and noticed that without the mouthpiece he ran with more effort, his arms were tense, hands were fisted and feet scuffed more. 

4. He was training for a marathon during this initial period and would run the same course each Sunday. The first Sunday he ran with the mouthpiece, he ran over a previous course that he ran twice before. He ran it the same time of day as he ran it previously. At the 15 mile mark was 4 minutes ahead of any previous run over the same course.

5. While in training for his two marathons he was able to increase his weekly mileage from 64 miles one week to 100 miles and maintain this total without any ill effects. He has worn it constantly when he runs and feels that without any doubt it is a definite asset to his muscle strength and performance.

6. He had a major knee operation and had excellent recovery. Ran a marathon 10 months later on a training schedule of 120 miles per week without any injuries.

 

Runner E.D. Reported:

1. In the beginning he was very skeptcal about the mouthpiece.

2. At first he didn't notice any differences in either his training runs or in his racing performances.

3. After 2 months of wearing the appliance he was about to discard it.

4. However his wife noticed that he seemed to be running a little more easily, not tiring so quickly and had been increasing his weekly mileage.

5. HE FINALLY STARTED WEARING THE MOUTHPIECE ON ALL HIS TRAINING RUNS.

6. He increased his mileage considerably from 50 miles per week to 80-100 miles per week. THAT WAS SOMETHING HE HAD NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DO PREVIOUSLY

WITHOUT BECOMING TOTALLY EXHAUSTED.

     6a. He also started to notice that hill running was becoming much easier for him.

     6b. He had previously lost a great deal of time on the hills.

     6c. He also feels that the mouthpiece has helped prevent injuries. 

     6d. BEFORE WEARING THE MOUTHPIECE HE SEEMED TO BE INJURY PRONE, ESPECIALLY LEG AND BACK PROBLEMS. ALTHOUGH HE HAS CONTINUED TO RUN HIGH MILEAGE ALL YEAR (1980) HE HAS NOT HAD TO TAKE NY TIME OFF FOR INJURIES AND THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME HE HAS DONE THIS SINCE HE STARTED RUNNING 7 YEARS AGO. THIS INCREASE TRAING CAPACITY HAS ALLOWED HIM TO BETTER HIS RACING PERFORMANCE.

 

Runner W.G. Reported:

1. Stronger legs, more endurance, hills much easier.

(seems to be able to bound up hills - legs felt very strong)

2. Recovered quickly from hills.

3. Report no numbness in right arm as he had expierienced in the past on runs.

4. He feels the mouthpiece is a definite asset.

5. On occasions when he runs without the mouthpiece he notices a noticeable difference in his leg strength and resilent, his legs feel heavy.

 

Runner W.H. Reported:

1. Would run steep hills after a normal 8 mile run.

2. He noticed that he recoverd quickly, his legs felt stronger and ran more relaxed.

3. He ran consistently better races, feels stronger in the legs.

4. Without the mouthpiece he ran very labored and found breathing erratic and labored.

 

Runner C.G. Reported:

1. Feels that she runs more relaxed and legs are stronger with the mouthpiece.

2. Ran without mouthpiece and noticed a very heavy feeling in her legs and labored breathing.

3. She also wears it during her weight training and notices and easier training session.

 

Runner N.B. Reported:

1. His legs felt really "springy and quick - never felt this good before."

2. His whole body felt good.

3. He reported that for the past 2 years his shoulder hurt him constantly everytime he ran. While running with the mouthpiece in he noticed that it no longer hurt at all no matter how long he runs.

4. His legs felt stronger than ever.

5. He reports no lower back pain on his runs and his grip feels stronger.

 

Runner N.K. Reported:

1. He has noticed an increase in leg strength, a greater efficiency of strength on the runs and his arms seem more relaxed.

2. He noticed a greater ability to charge the hills.

 

Watch the following videos next:

What these videos show is that:

     1. The mouthguard as the only variable in the exercises is all that alters                  the athlete's ability to facilitate better these exercises.

      2. The mouthguard as the only variable in the exercises is all that is                      changing the skeletal and muscular physiology of the athlete.

      3.   If you are an athlete curently wearing a mouthguard/mouthpiece during your training or competition and it does not allow you to reproduce these changes you see in strength, breathing, flexibility and core balance then maybe you should reconsider getting a new mouthguard/mouthpiece.

 

 

 

 

 

          

 

CLICK HERE: to read the full article- Craniomandibular Orthopedics and Athletic Performance in the Long Distance Runner: A Three Year Study.