WEIGHTLIFTING

Myofunktional Exercise  Collect ion

Application:

This method goes under the category Play-exercise to improve strength, motility and coordination of the lips (in synergy with the tongue) for example for an incompetent lip slit closure (Anatomy: mainly  I/4, page 05).

Contents:

Manipulated play and skill exercise.

Materials:

The set is available commercially (info@mft-products.ch ,  www.mft-products.ch ) with a 2mm thick thread of a length of about 30cm and corresponding plastic weights with an eyelet to be threaded on to the string.

Procedure:

- Previous exercises: Not obligatory.

-Starting position: See step-by-step.

- Step-by-step-description:

-1 The head is tilted forward, the string end is taken up into the mouth and, at first, held with the lips.

During the whole work-out the teeth will not be involved.

-2 Now the tongue tip takes over to hold the end by pressing it against the POINT. The lips grip forward and haul in some more rope into the mouth.

-3 Same as 2 and ongoing till the end of the thread.

-4 One weight is slid on starting again with step one and continuing to step 4.

-5 When a specific number of weights is reached the strength will not suffice any more to haul up the rope. The training is continued with one weight less. In the course of the training the number of weights mastered will slowly rise.

-Timing: The length of one sequence is defined by the speed of winding up or the length of the thread which should not exceed 40 cm.

The stringing together of the sequences to a series is determined by the fatiguing of the lip musculature.

Training should start with one sequence and increased in the course of practicing up to four or five per series. For an ALTERNATIVE EXERCISE the exercises PULL-THE-TRUNK or BABBLE are recommendable.

Characteristics:

Detailed medical Motility, coordination, kinetic strengthening exercise, Motivation; in special cases stretching and Mobility.

Remarks:

With the salivary flow the exercise is less fit to meet aesthetic requirements. The thread should be dried intermittently, be washed out after the training and be reserved for the special patient.

Discussion:

The exercise is replaceable by several others of the ORBICULARIS-EXERCISES though being favoured among children through its game mode, at one hand by its ongoing action furthermore for its immediate success. The special cases mentioned refer to the textural lip slit closure incompetence (too short upper lip).

Instructions:

How strong and nifty can your lips show? To find it out we have the have the supple cord and those weights with the eyelet in the middle. At first you should try to gather the thread up into the mouth without a weight on.  Take its end between your lips, let the tongue tip catch it against the palate at the POINT.

Now the lips can grasp some more of the thread, tug it up and hand it over to the tongue to be held fast.

This goes on until the end of the cord is reached. Then take it out of the mouth, wipe it dry and thread one weight on.

The whole starts from the beginning again: The lips haul the rope in bit by bit as the tongue takes over to hold it fast. Do not try it too fast to put on more weights! If the burden gets to heavy just take off the last one and go on practicing.

With the remaining ones just go on training for some while – let us say five times. In between you may, now and then, have a special break exercise.

And next time you may perhaps pull up all the weights.