Try these five exercises to improve your throat health
What's the story
The stylohyoid muscle is vital for swallowing and speech. By strengthening this muscle, you can enhance these functions and promote overall throat health.
This article provides a comprehensive guide to five effective exercises for targeting and strengthening the stylohyoid muscle.
Each exercise is easy to execute and doesn't need any equipment, making it convenient for anyone seeking to improve their stylohyoid muscle function.
Jaw openings
Jaw opening exercises
Jaw opening exercises provide a simple method for targeting the stylohyoid muscle.
To do this exercise, open your mouth as wide as you comfortably can, hold the position for five seconds, and then slowly close it. Do this exercise 10 times.
This exercise stretches and strengthens the muscles used in opening the jaw, including the stylohyoid.
Tongue stretch
Tongue stretching
Tongue stretching not only strengthens your tongue but also indirectly exercises your stylohyoid muscle.
Stick your tongue out as far as you can, aiming to touch your chin.
Hold this stretch for five seconds, then rest.
A set of 10 repetitions daily can greatly enhance the flexibility and strength of your throat muscles.
Hyoid exercise
Hyoid lifts
Hyoid lifts strengthen the stylohyoid muscle.
Position fingers on the neck at the hyoid bone, the U-shaped bone located under the chin.
Apply gentle downward pressure, then raise the hyoid by swallowing or using the neck muscles, while keeping the jaw still.
This movement generates resistance, which in turn strengthens the stylohyoid muscle.
Controlled yawn
Yawning technique
Yawning serves as a great exercise for stretching and strengthening various muscles in your throat, particularly the stylohyoid muscle.
To do a controlled yawn, open your mouth wide and take a deep breath in through it. Stretch everything in your mouth and throat as far as you can.
Hold it for about five seconds, then slowly let it go.
Neck flexion
Neck flexion exercises
To do the neck flexion exercises, you need to tilt your head forward with your jaw slightly open.
This exercise not only strengthens the neck muscles but also triggers activity in the throat muscles, including the stylohyoid muscle, by pulling on the areas where it attaches (the temporal bone of the skull and hyoid bone).
You should do 15 reps every day for the best outcome.