POSTURE-STABILOMETRIC VALUATION IN RUGBY PLAYERS AFTER MANDIBULAR REPOSITIONING

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the mandibular repositioning on the sport performance of rugby players, after posture-stabilometric screening. Twenty healthy rugby players (25 years on the average), with Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD), were included in the study. Posture–stabilometric valuation was performed with a combination of different visual conditions (eyes open/closed) and mandibular positions (Rest Position (RP) /Maximum Intercuspidation /mandibular repositioning with a wax non centric, centric and with an increase of the vertical dimension). Twelve players, which improved their posture-stabilometric arrangement after mandibular repositioning, were treated with Positioner, and underwent strength and speed testing before (T0) and after (T1) the use of the Positioner. For all tests there was a statistically significant improvement of the performance (P<0.05). The mandibular repositioning can produce an increase of the levels of strength, postural stability, resistance to fadigue, and a reduction of the muscolar traum

POSTUROSTABILOMETRIC EVALUATION OF PLANTAR VARIATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH TEMPORO-MANDIBULAR DYSFUNCTION: A CASE-CONTROL STUDY

The aim of this experimental study was to find out if temporo-mandibular dysfunctions (TMD) can influence two of the parameters defining body posture, intersolar distance and plantar lay. Test group (TG) was made of 52 subjects (14 males and 38 females aging from 12 to 64 years, average 34.25 ± 12.96. ) all affected by temporo-mandibular dysfunctions. Control Group (CG) was made of 52 subjects (21 males and 31 females aging from 16 to 56 years average 34.19 ± 13.40 ) completely negative for temporo-mandibular or occlusal dysfunctions. The posturo-stabilometric measurements were made using a stabilometric platform and the following conditions were investigated: mandibular rest position (rest) and intercuspidal position (icp) with both eyes open/closed. For both conditions the following parameters were recorded: sway area, sway velocity, sway length, sway velocity variation, weight distribution, right foot angle, left foot angle, the sum of feet angles, bar torsion angle and intersolar distance. The results of our study show that there is a dectable difference between Test and Control group in intercuspidal positio