Temporomandibular joint: conservative care of TMJ dysfunction in a competitive swimmer.

OBJECTIVE To detail the progress of a patient with TMJ dysfunction and headaches due to swimming, who underwent a conservative treatment plan featuring soft tissue therapy, spinal manipulative therapy, and rehabilitation. CLINICAL FEATURES The most important features were initial bilateral temporal headaches and persistent left sided TMJ pain brought about by bilateral breathing while swimming. Conventional treatment aimed at decreasing hypertonic muscles, increasing hyoid mobility, improving TMJ mobility, resolving cervical restrictions, and improving digastric facilitation. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME The conservative treatment approach utilized in this case involved soft tissue therapy, hyoid mobility treatment, TMJ mobilization, spinal manipulative therapy, and digastric facilitation. Outcome measures included subjective pain ratings, range of motion, and motion palpation of the cervical spine. CONCLUSION A patient with bilateral temporal headaches and TMJ pain due to bilateral breathing while swimming appeared to be relieved of his pain after three treatments of soft tissue therapy, hyoid mobility treatment, spinal manipulative therapy, and digastric facilitation.