These cases demonstrate that if the muscles designed to provide stability to your skeleton (core muscles) aren't being used effectively, your brain will automatically recruit another muscle group in an attempt to regain some of that lost stability. The big picture is, the brain doesn't care what new muscle group it uses, as long as it gets the job done. Although TMJ problems may develop for a variety of reasons, the TMJ dysfunction described in this example was a direct result of a poorly functioning core. These patients weren't experiencing symptoms, but the longer the jaw muscles are used for extra stability, the more likely it is that jaw-related symptoms may develop: TMJ pain, clicking or popping of the jaw, headaches, neck pain or tooth destruction from grinding. Simply trying to treat these symptoms would not resolve the problem. We must address the cause: core dysfunction and instability.
Once we've established the relationship between over-working muscle groups and under-underworking muscle groups, we can implement a treatment plan specifically designed to reset this dysfunctional motor control pattern. As the under-working core muscles resume proper function, the brain can relax the jaw muscles. If you or anyone you know is struggling with TMJ problems, core dysfunction may very well be the cause.
