If you’ve ever woken up with a sore jaw, noticed clicking or popping when you chew, or experienced headaches that seem to radiate from your temples, you may be dealing with a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, often referred to as TMD.

While it’s easy to brush these symptoms off at first, they can become a persistent source of pain that affects everyday activities like eating, talking, and even sleeping.

The good news? Physical therapy is often one of the most effective first-line treatments for TMJ disorders and can help many people avoid more invasive interventions.

What Is the TMJ?

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the hinge that connects your lower jaw (mandible) to your skull. You have one joint on each side of your face, located just in front of your ears.

Every time you:

• Talk
• Chew
• Yawn
• Swallow

your TMJ is working.

Because the joint is closely connected to the muscles of your jaw, neck, and face, problems in one area often create pain somewhere else.

Common Signs and Symptoms of TMJ Disorders

TMJ disorders can present in many different ways. Common symptoms include:

• Jaw pain or tenderness, especially when chewing or talking
• Clicking, popping, or grinding when opening or closing your mouth
• Jaw locking or difficulty opening your mouth fully
• Headaches around the temples or behind the eyes
• Neck and shoulder tension without an obvious cause
• Ear pain, pressure, or a feeling of fullness (without an infection)
• Facial soreness or fatigue, especially in the morning (often from nighttime clenching or grinding)
• Difficulty finding a comfortable bite

If you’ve experienced these symptoms for more than a couple of weeks, it’s worth getting evaluated. TMJ disorders are highly treatable, and earlier intervention often leads to faster recovery.

Why Your Neck Matters Just as Much as Your Jaw

TMJ pain is rarely just a “jaw problem.”

The muscles of your jaw, neck, and upper back all work together to support your head and control movement. They also share nerve pathways, meaning dysfunction in one area can create pain in another.

For example:

• Poor posture from sitting at a desk
• Looking down at a phone for long periods
• Stiffness in the upper neck

can all increase stress on the jaw.

Likewise, jaw dysfunction can contribute to neck pain and headaches.

That’s why effective treatment focuses on the entire system—not just the jaw itself.

How Physical Therapy Can Help TMJ Pain

Every patient is different, so treatment always begins with a comprehensive evaluation.

From there, your plan may include several evidence-based treatment techniques.

Joint Mobilization

Gentle hands-on mobilizations help restore normal movement within the jaw joint, improving opening range while reducing pain, clicking, and stiffness.

Cervical (Neck) Manipulation

When neck stiffness is contributing to jaw pain—which is very common—improving mobility in the upper cervical spine can significantly reduce symptoms.

Research supports cervical treatment as part of a comprehensive TMJ program, particularly for:

• Reducing headaches
• Improving jaw opening
• Restoring normal movement

It works best when combined with manual therapy and exercise.

Dry Needling

Dry needling can reduce muscle tension and deactivate painful trigger points throughout the jaw, face, and neck.

Common treatment areas include:

• Masseter
• Temporalis
• Suboccipital muscles
• Upper trapezius

Many patients notice improved jaw movement and decreased tension within just one or two visits.

Exercises That Help TMJ Recovery

Hands-on treatment helps reduce pain, but exercise is what creates lasting results.

Depending on your evaluation, your therapist may prescribe exercises such as:

Chin Tucks

Improve head and neck posture while reducing strain on the jaw.

Jaw & Tongue Coordination Exercises

Retrain healthy jaw movement through controlled opening and proper tongue positioning.

Wall Angels

Strengthen the upper back, improve posture, and reduce tension throughout the neck and jaw.

The combination of manual therapy, dry needling, and progressive exercise helps reduce symptoms while preventing them from returning.

You Don’t Have to Live With TMJ Pain

Jaw pain shouldn’t become something you simply learn to live with.

Whether you’re experiencing headaches, clicking, jaw tightness, or neck pain, addressing the problem early can make recovery much easier.

At Physio Room, our team takes a whole-body approach to TMJ disorders by evaluating both the jaw and the surrounding structures that influence how it moves.

With personalized treatment focused on restoring movement, reducing pain, and improving function, our goal is to help you return to eating, talking, exercising, and living comfortably again.

If you’re experiencing TMJ symptoms, we’d love to help.

Schedule an evaluation at our Highlands Ranch or Colorado Springs clinic and let us help you get back to feeling your best.

Written by By Dr. Nate Henry, PT, DPT, DSc, Board Certified OCS & SCS, CSCS | Physio Room

The post TMJ Disorders: Symptoms, Causes, and How Physical Therapy Can Help appeared first on Physio Room.

Training for my first marathon was going better than I could have imagined—until it suddenly wasn’t.

The injury happened during a strength session while performing front-racked box squats. I had jumped ahead in my training cycle, progressed the weight too quickly, and was experimenting with a small mechanical change in my squat.

On the last rep of my final set, I stood up and immediately felt pain shoot down the front of my leg.

I was able to rack the bar and walk around, convincing myself it was probably nothing serious.

The next day, I headed out for my scheduled long run at Waterton Canyon. My final five miles were downhill, and with every step I could feel my quad and hip flexor becoming increasingly sore. Over the next few days, the pain continued to worsen. Simple movements—like stepping out of the driver’s seat of my car—became difficult.

Mentally, I felt defeated.

My immediate thought was that I wouldn’t be able to run the marathon I had spent months preparing for.

This training cycle had been different from any before. In previous marathon builds, I consistently struggled around mile 14 because I didn’t have a solid fueling strategy. But this time, working with my coach, Phil Buckley, everything had started to click. I had developed a much better nutrition plan, felt stronger during long runs, and even finished a recent 16-mile run feeling surprisingly fresh.

So when the injury happened, it was devastating.

It took me several weeks to reset mentally and develop a consistent recovery plan. Looking back, I wish I had stopped experimenting sooner and focused on the strategies that ultimately helped me recover.

Here are the three things that made the biggest difference.

1. Fuel and Hydrate for Recovery

One of the most important things I focused on was supporting my recovery through proper nutrition and hydration.

After hard workouts—especially strength training and long runs—your muscles are primed to absorb nutrients that help repair tissue and restore energy stores. If those resources aren’t replaced, recovery slows down and irritated tissues can remain sensitive for longer.

During my recovery, I made it a priority to:

• Eat carbohydrates after training to replenish glycogen stores.
• Consume enough protein to support muscle repair (around 1 gram per pound of body weight).
• Fuel within 20–30 minutes after workouts.
• Increase my daily water intake and supplement with electrolytes.

Hydration also plays a major role in tissue health. Muscles and connective tissues rely on adequate fluid for circulation, nutrient delivery, and elasticity. When you’re properly fueled and hydrated, your body is simply better equipped to recover.

2. Use Tools That Improve Circulation and Reduce Sensitivity

One of the most effective recovery tools I used was Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training, recommended by Dr. Katie Sasser at Physio Room’s Highlands Ranch clinic.

BFR uses a specialized cuff placed high on the limb to partially restrict venous blood flow while still allowing arterial blood into the muscle. This creates a metabolic response similar to heavy strength training while using very light loads, allowing you to build strength and improve circulation without placing excessive stress on injured tissue.

My BFR program consisted entirely of bodyweight exercises, including:

• Straight leg raises
• Marching
• Step-ups
• Reverse lunges
• Copenhagen planks
• Side planks
• Side-lying leg raises

Despite using minimal resistance, these exercises were incredibly challenging and surprisingly effective.

I also used kinesiology tape and a compression sleeve when I returned to running.

While these tools don’t “hold muscles together,” they can improve circulation and reduce pressure on pain-sensitive receptors within the tissue. For me, they noticeably decreased the sensitivity around my hip flexor and allowed me to run more comfortably.

3. Keep Strength Training (and Cross-Training)

One of the best decisions I made during recovery was continuing to train instead of stopping altogether.

Rather than pushing through pain, I modified my strength program by focusing on:

• Isometric exercises (long holds against resistance)
• Strengthening the muscles surrounding my hip
• Working only within pain-free or minimally painful ranges of motion (no more than 3/10 pain)
• Gradually increasing my range of motion over time

Some of the exercises that helped me the most included:

• Split-stance overcoming isometrics
• Split squats using catch bars to control hip flexion
• Barbell hip thrusts
• Bulgarian split squats
• Barbell Romanian deadlifts
• Landmine single-leg Romanian deadlifts
• Stagger-stance box squats

These movements kept my glutes, hamstrings, and core strong, reducing the workload placed on my injured hip flexor.

I also incorporated stationary bike workouts to maintain my aerobic fitness while temporarily reducing my running volume.

Working closely with my coach to manage training allowed me to stay fit, continue making progress, and maintain confidence throughout the recovery process.

The Biggest Lesson

This injury reminded me that recovery isn’t just about waiting for pain to disappear.

It’s about actively creating an environment that allows your body to heal.

Fueling well, staying hydrated, improving circulation, and maintaining strength helped me continue moving forward—even when my training didn’t go according to plan.

In the end, recovery wasn’t about doing less.

It was about doing the right things consistently.

Written by By Cassie Santana, PTA, CSCS, NASM | Physio Room

The post Marathon Injury Recovery: 3 Strategies That Helped Me Keep Training appeared first on Physio Room.

If you’re a runner, strength training is a must. Especially if you are prepping for a long distance run like a marathon.

As a Physical Therapist, if I were to build a strength training routine for a runner I would focus on hitting the major muscle groups that are going to support you while you’re trying to run.

These would include movements like the squat, deadlift, lunge variations, single leg deadlifts, calf raises, suitcase carry and step downs.

I would recommend strength training 2 days a week during marathon prep but of course, that can vary depending on the athlete.

Hope this video helps you prep well for your next long distance race!

The post The Importance of Strength Training for Runners During Marathon Prep appeared first on Physio Room.

“Why not go back and do it better? That was really my mindset. I can do so much better,” says Becki Lynn Bauer, Marathon Runner. A runner since middle school, Becki Lynn has always loved this low-barrier sport. Now, Becki Lynn has run multiple marathons and advises listeners on how to get into a high-performance mindset.

As a serial marathon runner, Becki Lynn knows all the tricks of the trade. Between consistent training, proper hydration, and even the right footwear, there are lots of aspects to endurance running. Although it may seem tempting to miss a training session or ease up on nutrition, if accomplishing this goal is important to you, you will be able to dig deep enough to succeed.

Tune into this week’s episode of The Code for a motivating conversation on running toward your goals. Learn more about Becki Lynn’s athletic journey, all the factors of marathon preparation, and how to have the right mind-set before a run.

Quotes

• “It’s all about movement. It’s just correcting incorrect patterns.” (13:47 – 13:52 | Becki Lynn)

• “Why not go back and do it better? That was really my mindset. I can do so much better.” (17:16 – 17:20 | Becki Lynn)

• “Your body shuts down at a certain point. And it tells you “Hey, white flag. I’m done right now.” So having sleep is definitely important.” (41:52 – 42:02 | Becki Lynn)

• “I’ve worked so hard, but everyone works hard. We all qualify ourselves.” (48:46 – 48:51| Becki Lynn)

• “Don’t give up hope. If that’s your goal, don’t give it up.” (51:54 – 51:58 | Becki Lynn)

• “I commit. I won’t quit. Dig deep. And then, you find something that you didn’t know existed.” (53:18 – 53:27 | Becki Lynn)

Links

Connect with Becki Lynn Bauer:

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/beck262/

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/becki.lynn1

Western States ® 100-Mile Endurance Run | https://www.wser.org/

Connect with Physio Room: 

Website | ​​https://physioroomco.com/

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/physioroomco/

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/physioroomco

Andrew’s Personal Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dr.andrewfix/

Andrew’s Personal Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/andrew.fix.9/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

The post 21. Run in the Direction of Your Goals | Becki Lynn Bauer appeared first on Physio Room.