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Effects of Tongue-Strengthening Exercise on the Geniohyoid Muscle in Young Healthy Adults

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Abstract

The activities of the suprahyoid muscles have been reported to be induced by tongue muscle contraction. The purpose of this research was to investigate whether tongue-strengthening exercises using a device cause hypertrophy of the geniohyoid muscle in healthy adults. Seven healthy young adults (3 men and 4 women, 21.0 ± 1.3 years old) received 8-week tongue muscle training with the JMS Tongue Pressure Measuring Device. The participants were instructed to press the anterior tongue against the hard palate 30 times in each session, three sessions a day, and 3 days a week. The exercise intensity was set to 60% of maximum tongue pressure in the first week, and to 80% of maximum tongue pressure for the remaining period. The training effect was evaluated by measuring (1) maximum tongue pressure value with the JMS Tongue Pressure Measuring Device, and (2) the area at rest, shortening amount, and contraction ratio of the geniohyoid muscle using ultrasonic imaging. After the 8-week training program, the maximum tongue pressure increased significantly from 44.9 to 61.6 kPa. The area of the geniohyoid muscle at rest also increased significantly from 2.3 to 2.6 cm2 after the program. There were no significant differences in the shortening amounts and the contraction ratios of the geniohyoid muscle between the values before and after the program. The tongue-strengthening exercise was useful to increase the muscle power of the geniohyoid, as well as the tongue muscles, in healthy young adults.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the support of A. Matsushima, M. Tohda, M. Hara, and M. Tsuji.

Funding

This study was supported by the Kawasaki Foundation for Medical Science & Medical Welfare and the Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare Scientific Research Fund.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sensory Science, Faculty of Healthy Science and Technology, Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare, 288 Matsushima, Kurashiki, Okayama, 701-0193, Japan

    Jitsuro Yano

  2. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Kawasaki Medical School, 577 Matsushima, Kurashiki, Okayama, 701-0192, Japan

    Sayako Yamamoto-Shimizu, Kozo Hanayama & Akio Tsubahara

  3. Division of Speech-Language-Hearing Therapy, Rehabilitation Center, Kawasaki Medical School Hospital, 577 Matsushima, Kurashiki, Okayama, 701-0192, Japan

    Tomonori Yokoyama

  4. Department of Occlusal and Oral Functional Rehabilitation, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8525, Japan

    Tomonori Yokoyama

  5. Senri Rehabilitation Hospital, 4-6-1 Onoharanishi, Minoh, Osaka, 562-0032, Japan

    Isami Kumakura

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  1. Jitsuro Yano
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Contributions

JY contributed in conceiving study concept, analyzing data, and drafting manuscript. SYS and TY helped in conceiving the study concept, data collection, and interpretation. IK, KH, and AT conceived the study and supervised the whole project. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Jitsuro Yano.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate

The protocol was approved by the ethics committee of Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare (No. 16-045), and all participants provided written, informed consent.

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Yano, J., Yamamoto-Shimizu, S., Yokoyama, T. et al. Effects of Tongue-Strengthening Exercise on the Geniohyoid Muscle in Young Healthy Adults. Dysphagia 35, 110–116 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-019-10011-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-019-10011-2

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