Objective

To describe postural alterations according to the type of temporomandibular disorder (TMD).

Methods

Prior informed consent, 30 patients were included in the study, with a mean age of 27.4 years; 80% women, diagnosed with TMD based on Diagnostic Criteria (DC/ TTM) by a trained researcher in the clinic of the Faculty of Stomatology of the BUAP. Subsequently, a postural analysis (three views) was carried out at the facilities of the School of Physiotherapy of the BUAP using an acetate grid. The results were analyzed with descriptive statistics in the SPSS v20 program.

Results

16.7% of the patients presented muscular TMD, 36.7% joint TMD, and the rest combined TMD. The most common postural alterations were: high shoulder: 93.3%, pelvic tilt: 86.7%, and forward head posture: 83.3%. On average, the patients had between 4 and 5 postural changes. 100% of the patients ha alterations in the side view, while 50% of the patients with TMD of combined origin had alterations in the three views, as well as 45.5% of the patients with TMD of joint origin, and 60% of the patients with TMD of muscular origin.

Conclusions

TMD patients present postural changes, mainly forward head posture, pelvic tilt and high shoulder, with special involvement related to muscle and combined diagnosis.