ACUTE EFFECTS OF DENTAL APPLIANCES ON UPPER AND LOWER ISOKINETIC MUSCLE FUNCTION

The possibility that athletic performance can be affected by a person’s jaw posture during the activity has been of interest to sports practitioners for many years. Using established elbow and knee flexion/extension testing protocols on a calibrated isokinetic dynamometer (Biodex System 2, Shirley, NY), this study examined selected muscle function characteristics in male NCAA II college football players (n=18) under test conditions in which they wore a professionally-fitted dental appliance (PowerPlus) designed for optimal maxilla-mandibular spacing, a common “boil-and-bite”-type mouth guard (Shock Dr.), and conditions in which they were instructed to have their teeth touch while keeping the jaws relaxed (Relax) or clenched (Clench) without wearing any oral appliances. Results indicated a significant improvement in total work (+9.8%), peak torque/body weight (+10.5%), and average power (+11.25%) for elbow flexion in the PowerPlus relative to the Relax condition. Similarly, knee flexion total work for the PowerPlus was significantly higher compared to both Relax and Clench test conditions