Scoping review on the application of lingual muscle training in patients with post-stroke dysphagia

GAO Chuanxu; WANG Yachun; SONG Zhengzheng; SUN Shu

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2096-9058.2026.01.013

Abstract：Objective This scoping review aims to synthesize existing studies on the application of tongue muscle training in patients with post-stroke dysphagia,identify the types of tongue muscle training,key components of interven‐tion content,and outcome measures.Methods Following the methodological framework of scoping reviews,systematic searches were conducted in Chinese and English databases,including CNKI,Wanfang,VIP,CBM,PubMed,Embase,Web of Science,and The Cochrane Library.The search period covered from the establishment of each database to Septem‐ber 17,2025.Data extraction and comprehensive analysis were performed on the included studies.Results A total of 21 studies were finally included.The tongue muscle training methods identified included resistance training,tongue pres‐sure profile training,and tongue pressure strength and accuracy training.Most interventions adopted combined approach‐es,such as electrical stimulation,kinesiology taping,repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS),ice stimula‐tion,traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)acupuncture,swallowing process training,and coordinated training with head and neck muscles.The intervention duration was mostly 4 weeks.Objective indicators were mainly include tongue muscle function indicators,swallowing function indicators,dysphagia assessment indicators,tongue muscle morphology indica‐tors,and functional oral intake ability indicators.Conclusions This study clarifies the advantages of existing tongue muscle training protocols.In the future,it is still necessary to further optimize the efficacy evaluation system and the per‐sonalized intervention system,so as to provide more accurate evidence-based references for clinical practice.