Abstract
Human motor control is based on complex sensorimotor processes. Recent research has shown that neuromuscular activity of the craniomandibular system (CMS) might affect human motor control. In particular, improvements in postural stability and muscle strength have been observed as a result of voluntary jaw clenching. Potential benefits of jaw aligning appliances on muscle strength and golf performance have also been described. These reports are highly contradictory, however, and the oral motor task performed is often unclear. The purpose of our study was, therefore, to investigate the effect of submaximum biting on golf performance via shot precision and shot length over three different distances. Participants were 14 male professional golfers – seven with sleep bruxism and seven without – randomly performing golf shots over 60m, 160m, or driving distance while either biting on an oral splint or biting on their teeth; habitual jaw position served as the control condition. Statistical analysis revealed that oral motor activity did not systematically affect golf performance in respect of shot precision or shot length for 60m, 160 m, or driving distance. These findings were reinforced by impact variables such as club head speed and ball speed, which were also not indicative of significant effects. The results thus showed that the strength improvements and stabilizing effects described previously are, apparently, not transferable to such coordination-demanding sports as golf. This could be due to the divergent motor demands associated with postural control and muscle strength on the one hand and the complex coordination of a golf swing on the other. Interestingly, subjects without sleep bruxism performed significantly better at the short distance (60 m) than those with bruxism. Because of the multifactorial etiology of parafunctional CMS activity, conclusions about the need for dental treatment to improve sports performance are, however, completely unwarranted.
Highlights
Human motor control is based on the complex interaction of dynamic processes comprising, e.g., diverse sensory systems, intermuscular and intramuscular synergy, and, thereby, coordination of several joints with several degrees of freedom (Horak, 2006).Oral motor activity and golfIn recent decades, numerous researches on human motor control have suggested the potential effect of dental occlusion and muscle activity of the craniomandibular system (CMS)
Independent t-tests indicated no significant differences between bruxism and non-bruxism groups in respect of the variables under investigation
Even when golf performance is considered in more detail, neither lateral (Pinside) nor longitudinal (Pinlength) distance to pin were statistically affected by submaximum biting
Summary
Numerous researches on human motor control have suggested the potential effect of dental occlusion and muscle activity of the craniomandibular system (CMS). These suggestions arose from animal studies which revealed neuroanatomical connection of the trigeminal nerve to several structures associated with postural control (Buisseret-Delmas et al, 1999). Several studies have confirmed the neuromuscular effect of oral motor activity and different jaw relations on postural control during upright unperturbed stance (Bracco et al, 2004; Sforza et al, 2006; Sakaguchi et al, 2007; Tardieu et al, 2009). Similar to the stabilizing effects, significant increases in force production and rate of force development when clenching the jaw have been described (Forgione et al, 1991; Hiroshi, 2003; Ebben et al, 2008). Ebben et al (2008) suggested that the effects were caused by concurrent activation potentiation which, in turn, enhanced the neural drive
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