Maximal Jaw Opening as a Method of Producing Concurrent Activation Potentiation

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine maximal jaw opening as a strategy to elicit concurrent activation potentiation during countermovement vertical jump performance and bilateral grip strength assessment in both males and females. Methods: Twenty-four males (age 21.25 ± 1.45 years; height 177.64 ± 7.67 cm; mass 83.87 ± 9.08 kg) and 24 females (age 21.38 ± 2.12 years; height 165.84 ± 8.96 cm; mass 66.4 ± 13.42 kg) participated in this investigation. Maximal countermovement jump height was recorded using a Just Jump Mat, and dominant and non-dominant handgrip strength was recorded using a digital hand dynamometer under two experimental conditions: jaw relaxed and jaw maximally opened. Paired-sample t-tests were conducted for each dependent variable of interest to determine the differences between the research conditions. Results: Maximally opening the jaw led to improvements in vertical jump height (p = 0.013, d = 0.225), dominant hand (p = 0.028, d = 0.162), and non-dominant handgrip strength (p = 0.011, d = 0.241) in males, and although these variables were improved in females under the jaw open condition, that improvement did not reach statistical significance (p > 0.05). Conclusion: This study supports maximally opening the jaw as an effective strategy for producing concurrent activation potentiation, particularly in males.