Association Between Physical Activity Levels and Symptoms of Temporomandibular Disorders in Office Workers: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

Background: Sedentary work is a potential health risk factor and may exacerbate painful complaints, while physical activity may serve as a preventive factor for the onset and worsening of musculoskeletal disorders. However, there is scarce evidence on how engaging in leisure physical activity may influence the reporting of temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) symptoms.

Objective: To assess the association between the level of physical activity and TMD symptoms in office workers.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, 225 office workers of both sexes, aged over 18 years, participated in the study. The mean age was 33.65 (± 9.31) years, with a predominantly female sample (67.1%). The TMD Pain Screener determined the presence/absence of TMD symptoms, and the Baecke Habitual Physical Activity Questionnaire (BQHPA) determined the level of physical activity as high/moderate/low.

Results: 25.3% of the total sample presented TMD symptoms, of which 19.1% were women. The total BQHPA score showed that 35.5% of the total sample had a high level of physical activity. Regression analysis revealed no association between TMD symptoms and the level of leisure physical activity.

Conclusion: Office workers exhibited a low prevalence of TMD symptoms, and the presence of TMD symptoms was not associated with the level of physical activity.