I had NO IDEA that my jaw issues were connected to my poor posture and weak abs until I stumbled across some articles on the jaw surgery Facebook support groups I follow. Above is a pre-op photo of my profile. Notice the rounded shoulders and head pushed forward?
Basically because of my poor airway (related to my lower jaw being too far back), like many jaw surgery patients, I have developed the poor posture of jutting my head forward in an attempt to get more oxygen in. As a result of this 'tech neck' posture, many other muscle groups are affected.
Photo & article from Dr. Attila Nagy DDS MS
This article validates why I felt a HUGE relief in neck tension in the first weeks after surgery. It felt as if I had taken off a backpack I'd been wearing for YEARS. I remember feeling this lightness in my posture and feeling like I could finally stand up straight. I definitely have a long way to go, but it's just another reminder of how interconnected all of our body systems are.
Now that I'm back to being active and going to the gym again, I plan to incorporate the exercises mentioned in the article to strengthen my posture.
"No, sadly this posture will not resolve [even after jaw surgery] unless you persistently work on it. It really takes a lot of effort but it really pays off. Some of the problems with this posture and anterior pelvic tilt is tight neck and shoulders, weak abs, butt out, stomach out, head and shoulders forward tight hamstrings and loss of height. Unfortunately most often patients get advice to stretch the tight hamstrings and do ab crunches, but that will make the anterior pelvic tilt WORSE much much WORSE and the posture worse as well. The other problem is that if you start lifting weights with this posture you will most likely get injured due to the poor posture and weight distribution. So, IMHO it is key to correct this. I think close to 50-60% of the population have this problem from all the sitting and over using the hip flexors and weak hip extensors". - Dr. Attila Nagy DDS MS
If you're interested in working with someone after jaw surgery, it's recommended to work with a TMJ physiotherapist or an orofacial myofunctional therapist. Ask a lot of questions and make sure they're specialized in helping jaw surgery patients.
Below are some images from a jaw surgery Facebook support group outlining exercises her physiotherapist gave her. Correcting years of maladaptive swallowing, mouth breathing, and poor posture doesn't fix itself overnight.
NOTE: Don't start any physical therapy without speaking to your surgeon first.
And lastly, while we're on the topic of exercises, here is a free mini-webinar on how to exercise your jaw (aka the popsicle stick exercise) after jaw surgery. Again, make sure you're cleared by your surgeon first before attempting these exercises.
Happy re-habing!
- Monica, the Jaw Surgery Dietitian
P.S. Are you Canadian? Cool, me too! If you're looking for nutrition support in your journey and you're a resident of one of the following provinces, feel free to reach out for an online appointment. I'm able to work with patients in Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Contact me here!