Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ)can cause jaw and facial pain that can get in the way of everyday activities such as eating and yawning. TMJ exercises are part of the treatment plan, used to decrease pain, reduce inflammation, stop jaw clicking, and prevent the locking of the jaw.

This article explains how to do TMJ exercises to increase jaw mobility and decrease pain and other TMJ symptoms. You can do these at home or with aphysical therapist (PT).

Benefits of TMJ Exercises

Many people with TMJ benefit from aphysical therapy programthat involves gentle stretching and passive or activerange of motionexercises.

These exercises can be used to support other TMJ treatments like pain medications, steroid injections, oral appliances, and massage.

Before You StartTMJ exercises may cause slight discomfort, but they should not cause outright pain. If they do, stop and check in with your PT to ensure that you are doing them correctly.

Before You Start

TMJ exercises may cause slight discomfort, but they should not cause outright pain. If they do, stop and check in with your PT to ensure that you are doing them correctly.

Alex Dos Diaz / Verywell

1Tongue on Hard PalateThis passive exercise gently mobilizes the jaw without actively opening or stretching it.To do this exercise:Relax your jaw with your teeth slightly opened and your lips closed.Press your tongue onto the hard palate located on the roof of your mouth just behind your teeth.Hold the position for six seconds, breathing slowly through your nose.Relax and repeat five more times.Some PTs suggest making a clucking sound as you relax the tongue.

1

Tongue on Hard PalateThis passive exercise gently mobilizes the jaw without actively opening or stretching it.To do this exercise:Relax your jaw with your teeth slightly opened and your lips closed.Press your tongue onto the hard palate located on the roof of your mouth just behind your teeth.Hold the position for six seconds, breathing slowly through your nose.Relax and repeat five more times.Some PTs suggest making a clucking sound as you relax the tongue.

Tongue on Hard Palate

This passive exercise gently mobilizes the jaw without actively opening or stretching it.

To do this exercise:

Some PTs suggest making a clucking sound as you relax the tongue.

2Controlled Opening RotationControlled opening exercises involve moving the jaw without jutting the jaw out.To perform this exercise:Relax your jaw with your teeth slightly opened.Place your tongue on your hard palate.Keeping your tongue in place, slowly open your mouth to the widest comfortable position.Hold for six seconds.Slowly close your mouth while keeping your tongue on your hard palate.Repeat five more times.

2

Controlled Opening RotationControlled opening exercises involve moving the jaw without jutting the jaw out.To perform this exercise:Relax your jaw with your teeth slightly opened.Place your tongue on your hard palate.Keeping your tongue in place, slowly open your mouth to the widest comfortable position.Hold for six seconds.Slowly close your mouth while keeping your tongue on your hard palate.Repeat five more times.

Controlled Opening Rotation

Controlled opening exercises involve moving the jaw without jutting the jaw out.

To perform this exercise:

3

Jaw Opening With Resistance

Adding light resistance to the opening and closing of your jaw can improve muscle function.

4

Upper Cervical Distraction

To perform the exercise:

5Cervical RetractionCervical retractionhelps youmaintain proper head and neck position. Keeping your head directly over your shoulders ensures that your jaw can open and close without obstruction.To perform the exercise:Sit in a chair with your shoulders relaxed and head in a neutral position.Gently draw your chin straight back without altering your head position.Hold for six seconds.Relax and repeat five more times.

5

Cervical RetractionCervical retractionhelps youmaintain proper head and neck position. Keeping your head directly over your shoulders ensures that your jaw can open and close without obstruction.To perform the exercise:Sit in a chair with your shoulders relaxed and head in a neutral position.Gently draw your chin straight back without altering your head position.Hold for six seconds.Relax and repeat five more times.

Cervical Retraction

Cervical retractionhelps youmaintain proper head and neck position. Keeping your head directly over your shoulders ensures that your jaw can open and close without obstruction.

6Shoulder RetractionAnother great exercise for TMJ is thescapular retractioninvolving your shoulder blades.To perform this exercise:Sit upright in a chair with your shoulders square.Draw your shoulder blades together as if you are trying to squeeze a pencil between them.Hold the position for six seconds.Relax and repeat five more times.

6

Shoulder RetractionAnother great exercise for TMJ is thescapular retractioninvolving your shoulder blades.To perform this exercise:Sit upright in a chair with your shoulders square.Draw your shoulder blades together as if you are trying to squeeze a pencil between them.Hold the position for six seconds.Relax and repeat five more times.

Shoulder Retraction

Another great exercise for TMJ is thescapular retractioninvolving your shoulder blades.

7Neutral Posture RelaxationIf you have TMJ, relaxation exercises can ease tension in your neck and jaw muscles. This can help your jaw maintain a neutral position.To do this exercise;Relax your jaw with your teeth apart and your mouth slightly open.Inhale softly through your nose for a count of six.Exhales softly through your nose for a count of six.Continue as long as needed to relax the jaw.

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Neutral Posture RelaxationIf you have TMJ, relaxation exercises can ease tension in your neck and jaw muscles. This can help your jaw maintain a neutral position.To do this exercise;Relax your jaw with your teeth apart and your mouth slightly open.Inhale softly through your nose for a count of six.Exhales softly through your nose for a count of six.Continue as long as needed to relax the jaw.

Neutral Posture Relaxation

If you have TMJ, relaxation exercises can ease tension in your neck and jaw muscles. This can help your jaw maintain a neutral position.

To do this exercise;

8Jaw Opening Self MobilizationSome people with TMJ benefit from actively mobilizing the jaw.This helps the small disc between your jaw bone and temporal bone glide smoothly, reducing pain and clicking sensations.To perform TMJ self-mobilization:Stick your left thumb in the right side of your mouth, resting the pad of your thumb on your bottom teeth.Wrap the rest of the fingers on the right jaw.With gentle pressure, pull your jaw downward.Hold for six seconds.Release and repeat six times.Repeat steps 1-6, switching hands and cheeks.

8

Jaw Opening Self MobilizationSome people with TMJ benefit from actively mobilizing the jaw.This helps the small disc between your jaw bone and temporal bone glide smoothly, reducing pain and clicking sensations.To perform TMJ self-mobilization:Stick your left thumb in the right side of your mouth, resting the pad of your thumb on your bottom teeth.Wrap the rest of the fingers on the right jaw.With gentle pressure, pull your jaw downward.Hold for six seconds.Release and repeat six times.Repeat steps 1-6, switching hands and cheeks.

Jaw Opening Self Mobilization

Some people with TMJ benefit from actively mobilizing the jaw.This helps the small disc between your jaw bone and temporal bone glide smoothly, reducing pain and clicking sensations.

To perform TMJ self-mobilization:

9Lateral Jaw MobilizationThis variation of self-mobilization applies lateral pressure, pressing the jaw gently left and right.To perform this exercise:Sit with an upright posture.Place the palm of your right hand on your right jaw.Place the left palm on the left temporal bone just behind your cheek.Gently press on your jaw with the right hand while using the left hand to stabilize your head.Hold for six seconds.Release, and repeat six times.Switch hands and repeat steps 1-6.

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Lateral Jaw MobilizationThis variation of self-mobilization applies lateral pressure, pressing the jaw gently left and right.To perform this exercise:Sit with an upright posture.Place the palm of your right hand on your right jaw.Place the left palm on the left temporal bone just behind your cheek.Gently press on your jaw with the right hand while using the left hand to stabilize your head.Hold for six seconds.Release, and repeat six times.Switch hands and repeat steps 1-6.

Lateral Jaw Mobilization

This variation of self-mobilization applies lateral pressure, pressing the jaw gently left and right.

10Self-Stretch OpeningSometimes it helps to use manual pressure to increase the range of motion of your jaw.To do this exercise;Sit in a relaxed position,Open your mouth with your tongue resting on your hard palate.Place the index fingers of both your hands in your mouth, latching them behind your lower teeth.With gentle pressure, pull the jaw down as far as you comfortably can.Hold for six seconds.Relax, and repeat five more times.

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Self-Stretch OpeningSometimes it helps to use manual pressure to increase the range of motion of your jaw.To do this exercise;Sit in a relaxed position,Open your mouth with your tongue resting on your hard palate.Place the index fingers of both your hands in your mouth, latching them behind your lower teeth.With gentle pressure, pull the jaw down as far as you comfortably can.Hold for six seconds.Relax, and repeat five more times.

Self-Stretch Opening

Sometimes it helps to use manual pressure to increase the range of motion of your jaw.

How Often Should I Do TMJ Exercises?

Many people benefit from performing TMJ exercises two or three times a day. One exercise program, called “Rocabado’s 6x6 Exercises,” involves the first six exercises of this article performed six times daily.

When first starting out, take it easy until you become comfortable with exercises and are feeling no ill effects. If your TMJ symptoms get worse after exercise, stop and check in with your healthcare provider or PT. You may have another condition that the exercises are aggravating.

Before starting any exercise program for TMJ, see your healthcare provider to ensure that it is safe for you.

Summary

7 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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Mulla NS, Vinod Babu K, Sai Kumar N, Rizvi SR.Effectiveness of Rocabado’s technique for subjects with temporomandibular joint dysfunction—a single blind study.Int J Physiother. 2015;2(1):365. doi:10.15621/ijphy/2015/v2i1/60050

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