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Influence of the Craniocervical Posture on Tongue Strength and Endurance

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Abstract

Tongue strength has an important role in the swallowing process, and previous research has suggested that tongue position, concerning the craniomandibular region, could affect the oral function. This study aimed to evaluate the strength and endurance of three areas of the tongue in three experimentally induced craniocervical postures. A cross-sectional study with a nonprobabilistic sample of 37 participants (mean age: 3.85 ± 3.64 years; 20 men, 17 women) was performed. Tongue strength and endurance were assessed using a pressure device entitled Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (IOPI), in three different craniocervical positions: neutral head position (NHP), anterior head translation—or forward head position (FHP), and posterior head translation—or retracted head position (RHP). Measurements taken using the IOPI system showed significant differences in tongue strength for the anterior (p = 0.015) and middle areas of the tongue (p = 0.01). Significant differences were observed in analysis of variance (ANOVA) in the FHP (p = 0.02) and NHP (p = 0.009). The results of tongue endurance measurements showed statistically significant differences for FHP (p = 0.001), NHP (p = 0.00), and RHP (p = 0.007). The craniocervical position influences tongue strength, especially in the anterior and middle tongue areas, concerning the posterior, and, in the anterior and neutral head posture, regarding the retracted position. No differences were found in tongue resistance between the various craniocervical positions, but differences were found in resistance between the different tongue areas.

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Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Fisioterapia, Centro Superior de Estudios Universitarios La Salle, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Alba Paris-Alemany, Alejandro Proy-Acosta, Daniel Adraos-Juárez, Luis Suso-Martí & Roy La Touche

  2. Motion in Brains Research Group, Institute of Neuroscience and Sciences of the Movement (INCIMOV), Centro Superior de Estudios Universitarios La Salle, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Alba Paris-Alemany, Luis Suso-Martí & Roy La Touche

  3. Instituto de Dolor Craneofacial y Neuromusculoesquelético (INDCRAN), Madrid, Spain

    Alba Paris-Alemany & Roy La Touche

  4. Departament of Physiotherapy, Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera, CEU Universities, Valencia, Spain

    Luis Suso-Martí

  5. Department of Speech Therapy, Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain

    Jorge Chamorro-Sánchez

Authors
  1. Alba Paris-Alemany
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  2. Alejandro Proy-Acosta
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  4. Luis Suso-Martí
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  5. Roy La Touche
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  6. Jorge Chamorro-Sánchez
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Contributions

Conceptualization: AP-A, RLT, JC-S. Methodology: AP-A, RLT, AP-A. Formal analysis and investigation: AP-A, RLT, DA-J, LS-M. Writing-original draft preparation: AP-A, RLT, AP-A, DA-J, LS-M, JC-S. Writing-review and editing: AP-A, RLT, AP-A, DA-J, LS-M, JC-S. Supervision: AP-A, RLT.

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Correspondence to Roy La Touche.

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Paris-Alemany, A., Proy-Acosta, A., Adraos-Juárez, D. et al. Influence of the Craniocervical Posture on Tongue Strength and Endurance. Dysphagia 36, 293–302 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-020-10136-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-020-10136-9

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