Effects of a Postural Correction Exercise on Temporomandibular Dysfunction in a Patient with Hydrocephalus Presenting Forward Head Posture : A Single-Subject Experimental Design

This study aimed to investigate the effects of postural correction exercises on temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction in a patient with hydrocephalus presenting with forward head posture (FHP). The participant was an 81-year-old male diagnosed with hydrocephalus. A single-case A-B-A design was employed for the study. The baseline phase consisted of 8 sessions, the intervention phase included 10 sessions, and the follow-up phase comprised 8 sessions, for a total of 26 sessions. During the intervention phase, the participant underwent a postural correction exercise program, which included chin-tuck exercises, suboccipital and masticatory muscle release, anterior chest stretching, and TMJ and neck mobility exercises. Outcome measures included craniovertebral angle, maximum mouth opening range, craniomandibular index, and mandibular functional impairment questionnaire. All variables showed significant improvements after the intervention, and the gains were maintained during the follow-up phase. These findings suggest that postural correction exercises may be effective in improving TMJ function in a patient with hydrocephalus presenting with FHP.