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Aerobic Physical Activity and Orofacial Myofascial Pain

NCT07526688 · Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 90

Last updated 2026-04-13

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Orofacial myofascial pain, most commonly represented by Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) a significant public health, affecting approximately 12% to 14% of the general population. These disorders are characterized by musculoskeletal pain in the masticatory muscles and joints, leading to reduced productivity and high socio-economic costs. Pathophysiological mechanisms are largely central in origin, similar to other chronic pain syndromes like fibromyalgia. Beyond pain, TMD severely impacts oral health-related quality of life by disrupting vital functions such as mastication and swallowing, and is frequently associated with accelerated dental structure loss due to clenching or grinding. While aerobic exercise is a recommended frontline treatment for many chronic pain conditions due to its ability to induce short-term hypoalgesia and long-term neuroplastic adaptations, it remains critically underutilized in the management of orofacial pain.

This controlled clinical study aims to compare a pain neuromodulation mechanism (Temporal Summation of Pain) among patients suffering from chronic orofacial myofascial pain, inactive healthy individuals, and healthy individuals practicing endurance sports.

Furthermore, investigating Endogenous Pain Modulation (EPM) in pain-free populations allows for a better understanding of how physical activity modulates pain pathways by eliminating confounding factors associated with pre-existing painful conditions.

This knowledge will help clarify how aerobic exercise can be utilized within preventive and therapeutic strategies for the management of orofacial myofascial pain. Moreover, it will facilitate the identification of efficacy markers for therapies such as exercise rehabilitation and physical activity.

Conditions

  • Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD)

Interventions

OTHER

Temporal Summation of Pain and Questionnaire

All participants will follow the same study procedure, which consists of : * completing several validated, standardized questionnaires. These questionnaires assess various psychological and emotional aspects, including anxiety (GAD-7) and depressive symptoms (PHQ-4), physical activity (IPAQ) and daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale). * Collected of cardiovascular parameters. * Assesed of Temporal Summation of Pain : application of repetitive stimuli with pinprick on the skin above the masseter muscle. * Sensation at the level of masseter muscle

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • University Hospital, Brest

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
NA
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-06-01
Primary Completion
2028-06-01
Completion
2028-06-01

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07526688 on ClinicalTrials.gov