Impacts of Body Positions on the Geniohyoid Muscle Contraction and Swallowing Difficulty in Healthy Adults

Overview

Journal Clin Exp Dent Res

Publisher Wiley

Specialty Dentistry

Date 2023 Jul 6

PMID 37408360

Authors

Fuwen Lu

Tatsuma Okazaki

Junko Okuyama

Shin-Ichi Izumi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Body positions affect swallowing and gastroesophageal reflux. Swallowing impairment is one of the main causes of aspiration pneumonia. To prevent pneumonia, evaluation of body positions on gastroesophageal reflux recommended 30 degrees or higher semi-recumbent positions. The geniohypoid muscle and tongue play central roles in swallowing. However, the effects of body positions on contracting rates in the geniohyoid muscle and tongue pressure are unclear. Moreover, correlations between geniohyoid muscle contracting rates and subjective swallowing difficulties are unclear.

Aims: This study aimed to identify the proper body positions on contracting rates in the geniohyoid muscle, tongue pressure, and subjective swallowing difficulties.

Materials & Methods: Twenty healthy adults swallowed 15- or 50 ml of water at 90 degrees sitting, 60- and 30 degrees semi-recumbent, and 0 degrees supine positions. We scored the subjective swallowing difficulties and measured the tongue pressure and the number of swallows. An ultrasound evaluated the geniohyoid muscle size and contracting rates.

Results: At sitting and 60 degrees semi-recumbent positions, the geniohyoid muscle showed greter contracting rates than at 30 degrees semi-recumbent and supine postions (P < 0.05), which resulted in easier swalloiwng. Greater tongue pressure was weakly correlated with fewer swallows (r = -0.339, P = 0.002), whereas the body positions did not affect.

Conclusion: Considering swallowing and gastroesophageal reflux together, a trunk angle of 60 degrees or more might be beneficial for reducing the risk of aspiration.

Citing Articles

Nrf2 Deficiency Exacerbates the Decline in Swallowing and Respiratory Muscle Mass and Function in Mice with Aspiration Pneumonia.

Hashimoto H, Okazaki T, Honkura Y, Ren Y, Ngamsnae P, Hisaoka T Int J Mol Sci. 2024; 25(21).

PMID: 39519380 PMC: 11546094. DOI: 10.3390/ijms252111829.

Preoperative geniohyoid muscle mass in esophageal cancer patients is associated with swallowing function after esophagectomy.

Kawata S, Hiramatsu Y, Honke J, Murakami T, Booka E, Matsumoto T Ann Gastroenterol Surg. 2024; 8(6):1026-1035.

PMID: 39502723 PMC: 11533026. DOI: 10.1002/ags3.12839.

Reliability of Measuring Geniohyoid Cross-Sectional Area with B-Mode Ultrasound.

Pauloski B, Yahnke K Dysphagia. 2024; 40(1):141-151.

PMID: 38789680 DOI: 10.1007/s00455-024-10712-3.

Impacts of body positions on the geniohyoid muscle contraction and swallowing difficulty in healthy adults.

Lu F, Okazaki T, Okuyama J, Izumi S Clin Exp Dent Res. 2023; 9(4):670-678.

PMID: 37408360 PMC: 10441597. DOI: 10.1002/cre2.760.

References

Yabunaka K, Konishi H, Nakagami G, Sanada H, Iizaka S, Sanada S . Ultrasonographic evaluation of geniohyoid muscle movement during swallowing: a study on healthy adults of various ages. Radiol Phys Technol. 2011; 5(1):34-9. DOI: 10.1007/s12194-011-0132-3. View

Kikuchi R, Watabe N, Konno T, Mishina N, Sekizawa K, Sasaki H . High incidence of silent aspiration in elderly patients with community-acquired pneumonia. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1994; 150(1):251-3. DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm.150.1.8025758. View

Feng X, Cartwright M, Walker F, Bargoil J, Hu Y, Butler S . Ultrasonographic evaluation of geniohyoid muscle and hyoid bone during swallowing in young adults. Laryngoscope. 2015; 125(8):1886-91. DOI: 10.1002/lary.25224. View

Pearson Jr W, Langmore S, Zumwalt A . Evaluating the structural properties of suprahyoid muscles and their potential for moving the hyoid. Dysphagia. 2010; 26(4):345-51. PMC: 3154991. DOI: 10.1007/s00455-010-9315-z. View

Shiino Y, Sakai S, Takeishi R, Hayashi H, Watanabe M, Tsujimura T . Effect of body posture on involuntary swallow in healthy volunteers. Physiol Behav. 2016; 155:250-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.12.024. View

Nihei M, Okazaki T, Ebihara S, Kobayashi M, Niu K, Gui P . Chronic inflammation, lymphangiogenesis, and effect of an anti-VEGFR therapy in a mouse model and in human patients with aspiration pneumonia. J Pathol. 2014; 235(4):632-45. DOI: 10.1002/path.4473. View

Ebihara T, Takahashi H, Ebihara S, Okazaki T, Sasaki T, Watando A . Capsaicin troche for swallowing dysfunction in older people. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2005; 53(5):824-8. DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.53261.x. View

Okubo R, Hoshi S, Kondo M . Cost-effectiveness of professional and mechanical oral care for preventing pneumonia in nursing home residents. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2022; 71(3):756-764. DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18122. View

Paik N, Kim S, Lee H, Jeon J, Lim J, Han T . Movement of the hyoid bone and the epiglottis during swallowing in patients with dysphagia from different etiologies. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2006; 18(2):329-35. DOI: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2006.09.011. View

10.

Hunter K, Faulkner J . Pliometric contraction-induced injury of mouse skeletal muscle: effect of initial length. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1997; 82(1):278-83. DOI: 10.1152/jappl.1997.82.1.278. View

11.

Sakuma T, Kida I . Relationship between ease of swallowing and deglutition-related muscle activity in various postures. J Oral Rehabil. 2010; 37(8):583-9. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2842.2010.02084.x. View

12.

Ebihara T . Comprehensive Approaches to Aspiration Pneumonia and Dysphagia in the Elderly on the Disease Time-Axis. J Clin Med. 2022; 11(18). PMC: 9504394. DOI: 10.3390/jcm11185323. View

13.

Maeda K, Akagi J . Decreased tongue pressure is associated with sarcopenia and sarcopenic dysphagia in the elderly. Dysphagia. 2014; 30(1):80-7. DOI: 10.1007/s00455-014-9577-y. View

14.

Komatsu R, Okazaki T, Ebihara S, Kobayashi M, Tsukita Y, Nihei M . Aspiration pneumonia induces muscle atrophy in the respiratory, skeletal, and swallowing systems. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2018; 9(4):643-653. PMC: 6104110. DOI: 10.1002/jcsm.12297. View

15.

Paris-Alemany A, Proy-Acosta A, Adraos-Juarez D, Suso-Marti L, La Touche R, Chamorro-Sanchez J . Influence of the Craniocervical Posture on Tongue Strength and Endurance. Dysphagia. 2020; 36(2):293-302. DOI: 10.1007/s00455-020-10136-9. View

16.

Miyatake M, Okazaki T, Suzukamo Y, Matsuyama S, Tsuji I, Izumi S . High Mortality in an Older Japanese Population with Low Forced Vital Capacity and Gender-Dependent Potential Impact of Muscle Strength: Longitudinal Cohort Study. J Clin Med. 2022; 11(18). PMC: 9505108. DOI: 10.3390/jcm11185264. View

17.

Okazaki T, Ebihara S, Mori T, Izumi S, Ebihara T . Association between sarcopenia and pneumonia in older people. Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2019; 20(1):7-13. DOI: 10.1111/ggi.13839. View

18.

Bolsterlee B, DSouza A, Gandevia S, Herbert R . How does passive lengthening change the architecture of the human medial gastrocnemius muscle?. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2017; 122(4):727-738. DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00976.2016. View

19.

Teramoto S . The current definition, epidemiology, animal models and a novel therapeutic strategy for aspiration pneumonia. Respir Investig. 2021; 60(1):45-55. DOI: 10.1016/j.resinv.2021.09.012. View

20.

Matsui T, Yamaya M, Ohrui T, Arai H, Sasaki H . Sitting position to prevent aspiration in bed-bound patients. Gerontology. 2002; 48(3):194-5. DOI: 10.1159/000052841. View