Electromyographic fatigue of orbicular oris muscles during exercises in mouth and nasal breathing children.

Angela Ruviaro Busanello-Stella,Ana Paula Blanco-Dutra,Eliane Castilhos Rodrigues Corrêa,Ana Maria Toniolo Da Silva

doi:10.1590/2317-1782/20152014078

Abstract

To investigate the process of fatigue in orbicularis oris muscles by analyzing the median frequency of electromyographic signal and the referred fatigue time, according to the breathing mode and the facial pattern. The participants were 70 children, aged 6 to 12 years, who matched the established criteria. To be classified as 36 nasal-breathing and 34 mouth-breathing children, they underwent speech-language, otorhinolaryngologic, and cephalometric evaluation. For the electromyographic assessment, the children had to sustain lip dumbbells weighing 40, 60, and 100 g and a lip exerciser, until the feeling of fatigue. Median frequency was analyzed in 5, 10, 15, and 20 seconds of activity. The referred time of the feeling of fatigue was also recorded. Data were analyzed through the analysis of variance--repeated measures (post hoc Tukey's test), Kruskal-Wallis test, and Mann-Whitney U-test. A significant decrease in the median frequency from 5 seconds of activity was observed, independently from the comparison between the groups. On comparison, the muscles did not show significant decrease. The reported time for the feeling of fatigue was shorter for mouth-breathing individuals. This feeling occurred after the significant decrease in the median frequency. There were signals that indicated myoelectric fatigue for the orbicularis oris muscles, in both groups analyzed, from the first 5 seconds of activity. Myoelectric fatigue in the orbicularis oris muscles preceded the reported feeling of fatigue in all groups. The account for fatigue time was influenced by only the breathing pattern, occurring more precociously in mouth-breathing children.

Highlights

Speech-language and audiological intervention, in orofacial motricity, is based on action on structural and functional aspects of the orofacial and cervical regions
Caption: y = years; m = months; n= number of subjects; % =percentage of these are given in Tables 3, 4 and 5
In the interaction with the breathing mode, the orbicularis oris muscles of mouth and nasal breathers presented, in general, decreasing behavior of the median frequency (MF), no significant difference over the conduction of the isometric tests between these two groups was observed. The interactions of these muscles with the facial growth pattern and with the association of the latter with the breathing mode, the orbicular muscles showed a decrease in MF, but no significant difference

Summary

Introduction

Speech-language and audiological intervention, in orofacial motricity, is based on action on structural and functional aspects of the orofacial and cervical regions. Among the methods used are isometric and isotonic speech exercises[1], and defining the appropriate means of performing these exercises is key to achieving the treatment’s goal[2]. When it comes to rehabilitation in mouth-breathing and the various changes due to this pathology, the choice of appropriate exercise becomes even more important[3,4]. It is fundamental to understand how the mouth-breathing individual responds to exercises In this context, there are individual strategies, as some authors recommend[2], and standardized strategies through instruments that can be bought, such the lip dumbbells and the exerciser. These devices act on the orbicularis oris muscles of the mouth, aiming at its toning and strengthening[7]

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