Background: Dysphagia rehabilitation using proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) was recently introduced. However, the clinical evidence for this technique remains unclear.
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of multidirectional head-lift exercise using PNF techniques for the oropharyngeal swallowing muscles in older adults with oral frailty.
Methods: Older adults with oral frailty were enrolled in this study and randomly assigned to the experimental or control group. The experimental group performed multidirectional head-lift exercises based on PNF techniques, whereas the control group performed conventional head-lift exercises (90 times/day, 5 days/week for 6 weeks). Tongue strength and thickness were measured using an Iowa Oral Performance Instrument and ultrasonography, respectively. Additionally, suprahyoid muscle activation and thickness were measured using surface electromyography and ultrasonography, respectively.
Results: The experimental group showed significant improvements in tongue strength and thickness compared to the control group, as well as significant improvements in suprahyoid muscle activation and thickness (all, p < 0.05).
Conclusion: This study demonstrates that multidirectional head-lift exercise based on PNF techniques is more effective than conventional head-lift exercise in increasing the strength and thickness of the oropharyngeal muscles related to swallowing in older adults.
Keywords: dysphagia; head lift exercise; proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation; suprahyoid muscle; tongue.
© 2025 The Author(s). Journal of Oral Rehabilitation published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.