Pilates Exercises To Relieve Tmj

TMJ, a condition of the temporomandibular joint, occurs when the joint that connects your jawbone to your skull becomes sore. A bad case of TMJ makes it difficult for you to talk, chew and yawn. According to MayoClinic.com, the soreness or muscle fatigue surrounding TMJ is usually caused by jaw clenching. Relaxation and posture exercises, in conjunction with a visit to the doctor or dentist if the pain is severe, can help you to alleviate this pain.

Neck Roll

Stretching the neck muscles that connect to the jaw can help to relieve muscle tension in the neck and jaw region. To do so, try a neck roll. Using good posture, sit in a chair, keeping your spine in a straight line from the hips to the top of your head. Look in front of you and breathe in. Exhale, lowering your chin to your chest. Breathe in again, and breathe out as you gently bring your right ear toward your right shoulder. Return to center, with your chin to your chest, then breathe in and shift your head so that your left ear is facing toward your left shoulder. Exhale as you move your head to the left. Come back to the center and breathe in as you return to good posture.

Spine Stretch Forward

Posture exercises can complement treatment for TMJ, according to MayoClinic.com. A common Pilates posture exercise is the Spine Stretch Forward. To perform it, sit tall, with your legs stretched directly out in front of you and your feet flexed. Your shoulders and torso should be stacked directly over your hips. Exhale and pull your navel in toward your spine as you reach forward one vertebrae at a time, until you are stretching forward as far as you can. Inhale, stacking your spine back up until you are sitting tall once again.

Saw

The Pilates Saw can also help you to improve your posture. Sit tall, as in the Spine Stretch Forward. This time, as you exhale, reach your right hand toward your left foot, as if you were chopping off your left big toe with your right fingers. Inhale and come back to good seated posture. Repeat on the opposite side, remembering to stack up your spine at the end of each movement.