Sugai Nao, Hirabayashi Ryo, Okada Yoshiyuki, Yoshida Yuriko, Okouchi Takeru, Yokota Hirotake, Ishigaki Tomonobu, Komiya Makoto, Edama Mutsuaki
Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-cho, Kita-ku, Niigata-shi, Niigata 950-3198, Japan.
Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan.
J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2025 Jul 13;10(3):264. doi: 10.3390/jfmk10030264.
Reaction time is analyzed in various situations in sporting events and is reported to be so important that it can make the difference between victory and defeat. This study focused on teeth clenching resulting in remote muscle activation, and examined whether it improves performance of reaction time. This study examined the effects of clenching and clenching strength on the systemic simple reaction time. This study included 20 healthy adults with normal clenching and a right dominant foot. The task movement for the systemic simple reaction time measurement was a 30 cm forward step. The following three clenching conditions were used: no clenching without dental contact (no-bite condition), a condition in which the participants were instructed to clench with moderate strength (moderate condition), and a condition in which the participants clenching with maximum effort (max condition). The analysis items were release time, grounding time, soleus muscle (Sol) reaction time, and masseter muscle activity. The max condition significantly reduced the reaction time compared with the no-bite condition. Sol reaction and grounding times showed a negative correlation between clenching strength under moderate conditions and the rate of change in reaction time under no-bite and moderate conditions. Release time exhibited no significant correlation between clenching strength under the moderate condition and the rate of change in reaction time under the no-bite and moderate conditions. The remote facilitation effect of clenching improved the systemic reaction time by producing immediate muscle activity. Clenching shortens the systemic simple reaction time. This finding highlights the potential importance of clenching in enhancing performance during sporting events.
反应时间在体育赛事的各种情况下都会被分析，据报道其非常重要，可能决定胜负。本研究聚焦于咬牙导致的远端肌肉激活，并研究其是否能提高反应时间的表现。本研究考察了咬牙及咬牙力度对全身简单反应时间的影响。本研究纳入了20名咬牙正常且右脚为优势脚的健康成年人。全身简单反应时间测量的任务动作是向前迈一步30厘米。采用了以下三种咬牙条件：无牙接触不咬牙（无咬条件）、参与者被指示以中等力度咬牙的条件（中等条件）、参与者尽全力咬牙的条件（最大条件）。分析项目包括松开时间、着地时间、比目鱼肌（Sol）反应时间和咬肌活动。与无咬条件相比，最大条件显著缩短了反应时间。在中等条件下，Sol反应和着地时间与无咬和中等条件下反应时间的变化率之间呈负相关。松开时间在中等条件下的咬牙力度与无咬和中等条件下反应时间的变化率之间未显示出显著相关性。咬牙的远端促进作用通过产生即时肌肉活动改善了全身反应时间。咬牙缩短了全身简单反应时间。这一发现凸显了咬牙在提高体育赛事表现方面的潜在重要性。
