Electromyographic analysis regarding tension of selected masticatory and dorsal muscles at rest and during activities burdening the stomatognathic system in saxophonists.

PURPOSE: The study aimed to investigate whether saxophonists experience muscle tone variations in the masseter muscles and the descending parts of the trapezius dorsi muscle in resting conditions and during activities that load the stomatognathic system. METHODS: This study included 30 men aged 20-30 years, students of saxophone classes at the Jazz and Popular Music Department of randomly selected Music Academies in Poland (average saxophone playing experience: 12.57 ± 2.06 years). Muscle tension of selected masticatory and back muscles was evaluated both at rest and during activities taxing the stomatognathic system using a Noraxon electromyograph. Friedman's repeated measures analysis of variance for ranks (ANOVA) with Dunn's post-hoc test was used to analyze the results. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were found in the maximal contraction amplitude values of the masseter muscle obtained in subsequent test sequences, both on the right (p < 0.001) and left (p < 0.001) sides, as well as in the descending portion of the trapezius muscle on the right (p < 0.001) and left (p < 0.001) sides. Statistically significant differences were noted in the maximal contraction amplitude values of the analysed muscles between the individual test phases. CONCLUSIONS: In saxophonists, variation occurs in the tension of the masseter muscles and the descending parts of the trapezius muscle during rest and activity, which burdens the stomatognathic system. The tension in these muscles tends to increase during free opening and closing of the mouth and when clenching the teeth on the mouthpiece. It reaches its highest values while playing the instrument, and after ceasing activity, it decreases during the rest phase.