{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,16]],"date-time":"2025-12-16T10:14:56Z","timestamp":1765880096372,"version":"3.48.0"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"24","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,12]],"date-time":"2025-12-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1765497600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Objectives: Strong cervical musculature is recognized as a protective factor against sports-related concussions. Evidence suggests that jaw clenching may activate cervical muscles, potentially reducing head acceleration during impact. Methods: This observational cohort study examined the immediate effects of a customized interocclusal orthotic (CIO) on cervical muscle performance. Forty-two healthy adults (\u226518 years) underwent strength and endurance testing with and without a CIO using a digital pressure gauge and six directional isometric contractions. Descriptive statistics and two-way repeated-measures MANOVA models were applied to evaluate condition effects. Results: CIO use produced significant improvements in cervical muscle strength and endurance across all directions compared to non-use. Forward flexion strength increased by 12.96% (p &lt; 0.001, \u03b7p2 = 0.185), backward extension by 10.34% (p = 0.017, \u03b7p2 = 0.091), right rotation by 19.03% (p &lt; 0.001, \u03b7p2 = 0.333) and left rotation by 19.86% (p &lt; 0.001, \u03b7p2 = 0.353). Endurance gains demonstrated large effect sizes, with flexor endurance improving by 44.57% (p &lt; 0.001, \u03b7p2 = 0.447). Conclusions: Optimized jaw alignment using a customized orthotic can elicit immediate, clinically meaningful enhancements in cervical strength and endurance, suggesting a promising adjunct for concussion risk mitigation in contact sports.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm14248813","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,12]],"date-time":"2025-12-12T15:27:20Z","timestamp":1765553240000},"page":"8813","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Immediate Cervical Muscle Response to Optimal Occlusal Positioning: A Crucial Part of Concussion Risk Management"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2757-8075","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Denise","family":"Gobert","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Physical Therapy Department, Texas State University, Round Rock, TX 78665, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Gregg","family":"Ueckert","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ueckert Dentistry, 7030 Village Center Dr, Austin, TX 78731, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mark","family":"Strickland","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School for Health Sciences, University of St. Augustine, 5401 La Crosse Ave, Austin, TX 78739, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Leeda","family":"Rasoulian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Physical Therapy Department, Texas State University, Round Rock, TX 78665, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"298","DOI":"10.1080\/10410236.2021.1950295","article-title":"Raising Concussion Awareness among Amateur Athletes: An Examination of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u2019s (CDC) Heads Up Campaign","volume":"38","author":"Quick","year":"2021","journal-title":"Health Commun."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"702","DOI":"10.2519\/jospt.2024.12677","article-title":"Concussion Incidence by Type of Sport: Differences by Sex, Age Groups, Type of Session, and Level of Play an Overview of Systematic Reviews with Meta-analysis","volume":"54","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. 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