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Exercise therapy for trismus in head and neck cancer
P U Dijkstra1, M W Sterken, R Pater
1Department of Physical Therapy, Center for Rehabilitation, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, The Netherlands. p.u.dijkstra@rev.umcg.nl <p.u.dijkstra@rev.umcg.nl>
Oral Oncology
|September 19, 2006
Summary
Exercise therapy showed limited effectiveness for trismus related to head and neck cancer. Patients with cancer-related trismus experienced significantly less improvement in mouth opening compared to those without cancer.
Area of Science:
- Physical Therapy
- Oncology Rehabilitation
- Oral Medicine
Background:
- Trismus, or limited mouth opening, is a common complication of head and neck cancer and its treatments.
- Exercise therapy is a standard approach for managing trismus, but its efficacy in cancer-related cases requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To retrospectively analyze the effects of exercise therapy on trismus in patients with head and neck cancer.
- To compare the outcomes of exercise therapy for cancer-related trismus with trismus unrelated to cancer.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of medical records of patients diagnosed with trismus.
- Data collected included patient diagnosis, exercise types, and mouth opening measurements before and after therapy.
- Comparison between a group with head and neck cancer-related trismus (n=27) and a group without cancer (n=8).
Main Results:
- The mean increase in mouth opening was significantly less in the head and neck cancer group (5.5 mm) compared to the non-cancer group (17.1 mm).
- No significant difference was observed in the mean number of exercise treatments between the two groups.
- Exercise interventions included active range of motion, hold-relax techniques, manual stretching, and joint distraction.
Conclusions:
- Exercise therapy appears to be less effective in improving mouth opening for trismus related to head and neck cancer.
- Trismus associated with head and neck cancer presents a significant challenge for physical therapy interventions.
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