f-ESWT vs Steroid Injection for Piriformis Syndrome

Comparative Effectiveness of Focal Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy and Steroid Injection in Piriformis Syndrome

Status

Completed

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT07145554

Enrollment

Registered

2025-08-28

Start date

2025-10-01

Completion date

2026-03-01

Last updated

2026-04-20

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Piriformis Syndrome

Brief summary

This study aims to compare two treatment methods for piriformis syndrome, a condition that can cause pain in the buttock and leg. Adult patients with piriformis syndrome will take part in the trial. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will receive focal extracorporeal shock wave therapy (f-ESWT), a non-invasive treatment that uses sound waves. The other group will receive a steroid injection, which is a common treatment used to reduce pain and inflammation. The goal of this study is to find out which treatment is more effective in improving symptoms of piriformis syndrome.

Interventions

OTHERFocal extracorporeal schock wave therapy

Participants in this group will receive a total of 5 sessions of focal extracorporeal shock wave therapy. Each session will deliver 1000 pulses per cm² to the affected piriformis muscle.

PROCEDURESteroid Injection

Participants in this group will receive a single injection of corticosteroid into the piriformis muscle.

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to No maximum

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

* Patients with piriformis syndrome whose pain has persisted for three months or longer despite standard medical care and activity modifications.

Exclusion criteria

* Individuals with lumbar discopathy diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging or electrodiagnostic study. * Patients with coccyx pain. * Individuals with mechanical or inflammatory disorders of the sacroiliac joint. * Patients with pelvic region diseases. * Pregnancy * History of previous lumbar disc surgery. * History of lumbar epidural block within the last 6 months. * History of malignancy. * Patients with signs of acute inflammation at the treatment site. * Individuals with a cardiac pacemaker.

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Pain intensity measured by Numeric Rating Scale (NRS)	Baseline, 1 week, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks post-treatment
Quality of life measured by SF-36 questionnaire	Baseline and 4 weeks post-treatment

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Apr 21, 2026