13/03/2025
This paper reinforces the power of MYO in airway health!
Did you know that exercises targeting the muscles of the tongue and throat can improve stability of the airway and help prevent airway collapse during sleep?
Myofunctional therapy is a well supported intervention to help reduce snoring obstructive sleep apnoea in both children and adults, especially in conjunction with CPAP, surgery, or orthodontic treatments.
Here is a pioneering study from Brazil that examines the impact of specific exercises. The researchers used a camera down the nose and throat to see the impact on mobility, tone, and dimensions of various regions in the throat. This work contributes much needed understanding of how the exercises work, and provides insights into selection of exercises to improve outcomes.
A big congratulations to speech and language colleague Esther Bianchini and her team for their dedication to advancing this field and improving outcomes for so many! 👏
Here’s the link to the research:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ocr.12912
