[Control study of forward head posture between patients with temporomandibular disorders and healthy people].

PURPOSE: To investigate the difference of forward head posture between patients with temporomandibular disorders(TMD) and healthy people. METHODS: Ninety-one TMD patients (18 males and 73 females) were recruited from the Department of Rehabilitation; Meanwhile, eighty-three healthy participants（20 males and 63 females）were recruited. A digital camera was used to capture images of the sagittal plane of the head and neck and upper thorax. The craniovertebral angle between the horizontal line passing through C7 and a line extending from the tragus of the ear to C7 was recorded. The difference of craniovertebral angle between TMD patients and healthy people of different genders were analyzed with SPSS 20.0 software package. RESULTS: In both male and female groups，the craniovertebral angle of TMD patients was significantly smaller than that of healthy people（P<0.01）. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with healthy people, TMD patients present more forward head with abnormal head and neck posture.