Investigation of the Efficacy of Rocabado Exercises in Individuals With Chronic Neck Pain

Nerve compression, disc herniation, and fracture-related factors may play a role in the etiology of chronic neck pain, or the pain may not be associated with a specific cause. In the cervical region, muscles, fascia, disc, nerve root and facet joints are the structures that carry pain. Problems related to these structures can also cause pain in the cervical region and shoulder, arm, interscapular region and craniocervical structures. The stomatognathic system is the integrity of the structures that perform the functions of chewing, swallowing and speaking. This system in the head and neck region; It consists of bones, muscles, joints, ligaments, teeth, supporting dental tissues, glands, tongue, mouth and surrounding tissues, and neuromuscular system. The relationship between the stomatognathic and craniocervical systems is demonstrated by the interaction between masticatory and cervical muscles. Wiesinger et al. examined the relationship between spinal pain and temporamandibular joint disorders in a large sample and stated that both conditions may share common risk factors or affect each other. The coexistence of cervical spine and temporomandibular joint pathologies (TMJ) is explained by the neuroanatomical convergence of nociceptive neurons receiving trigeminal and neck sensory inputs. Studies have shown that neck disability may be accompanied by jaw joint disability, masseter myofascial pain, and regional muscle tenderness. Olivio et al. He reported that the treatment of individuals with TMJ pathology should also focus on the neck region, because improvement of one may affect the other. Based on this idea, Calixtre et al. reported that they achieved positive improvements in pain and jaw functions in their study investigating the effects of cervical region mobilization and exercises on individuals with TMJ.

In the treatment of chronic neck pain, it has been shown that craniocervical flexion exercise, cervical stabilization and endurance exercises, aerobic exercises, proprioceptive exercises and patient education, especially strengthening exercises for deep and superficial flexor muscles, reduce pain and improve quality of life by increasing muscle strength and functions. In the literature, the number of studies investigating the effectiveness of an exercise program for the jaw joint in individuals with chronic neck pain is quite limited. In this context, our aim is to investigate the effects of Rocabado exercises, one of the jaw joint exercises, on pain, pain threshold/tolerance, range of motion, proprioception, disability, quality of life, muscle strength, muscle endurance, sleep quality and posture in individuals with chronic neck pain.