Effects of Strengthening Exercise on Tongue Muscle Power in Young Healthy Adults

Abstract

Objective:　 This study examined the effects of an 8-week tongue strengthening exercise for 3 months after the completion of training using a tongue pressure measuring instrument on tongue muscle power in young healthy adults.　 Subjects:　 Eleven young healthy adults (3 men and 8 women) participated in this study. The mean age of the participants was 20.6±1.2 years old.　 Methods:　 After a tongue pressure probe connected to a JMS tongue pressure monitor was inserted into the mouth and was fixed between the anterior portion of the tongue and the hard palate, participants performed tongue muscle strengthening exercises. The anterior part of the tongue was pressed repeatedly against the probe. Exercise intensity was set at 60% of maximum tongue pressure (MTP) in the first week, and was increased to 80% of MTP from the second week of the training. With 30 tongue pressing exercises as one set, the training was conducted 3 sets a day. Training frequency was 3 days a week, and participants were instructed not to rest for 3 consecutive days or more. Training was continued for 8 weeks. After the completion of the tongue muscle training, measurements of MTP were continued for another 3 months in order to evaluate whether the training effect was sustained.　 Results and discussion:　 MTP after 8 weeks of the training period (60.7±6.7 kPa) was significantly stronger than MTP before training (38.5±8.4 kPa) (p＜ 0.01). MTP 1 month after the completion of the training was 58.7±6.7 kPa; 2 months after the completion 58.7±7.0 kPa; 3 months after the completion 56.4±6.6 kPa. Although all of these values were significantly lower than MTP after 8 weeks of the training (1 or 2 months after completion: p＜ 0.05, 3 months after completion: p＜ 0.01), they were still higher than MTP before training (p＜ 0.01). It is suggested that the tongue strengthening exercise using the JMS tongue pressure measuring instrument might prevent frailty and sarcopenia in the elderly and contribute to swallowing rehabilitation for patients with dysphagia.