Piriformis Syndrome
Conditions
Keywords
Piriformis syndrome Pain, Quality of life, Hip abductor strengthening exercises, Lower Extremity Functional Scale
Brief summary
The study was conducted to determine the effects of hip abductor strengthening exercises on pain, range of motion, and lower extremity function in patients with piriformis syndrome.
Interventions
OTHERProgressive Hip Abductor Strengthening Exercises
Experimental Group (Hip Abductor Strengthening + Baseline Physiotherapy) A structured hip abductor strengthening program divided into three progressive phases over four weeks, along with baseline physiotherapy treatment. Phase I (Week 1 - Non-weight bearing / Isolated activation) Exercises: Bridging, Side-lying clam exercises, Side-lying hip abduction, Towel squeeze Dosage: 3 × 15 repetitions Phase II (Week 2 - Weight-bearing strengthening) Exercises: Squats, Side-stepping, Single-limb sit-to-stand, Step-up/Step-down, Leg press Dosage: 3 × 15 repetitions Phase III (Weeks 3-4 - Dynamic/Functional training) Exercises: Forward lunges, Double-limb jump Dosage: Week 3 → 3 × 15 repetitions Week 4 → 5 × 20 repetitions
conventional Physiotherapy treatment * Hydro-collateral pack for 10 minutes over piriformis muscle (40°C) * Pulsed ultrasound for 10 minutes at 2.25 W/cm² * Piriformis stretching maneuver (20-second hold × 10 repetitions)
Sponsors
Riphah International University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 45 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Males and Females between 18 and 45 . * Unilateral involvement, Onset of pain not \> 2 weeks. * Grade 1-3 Tenderness at piriformis muscle. * Numeric pain rating scale\>3and equal to, \<6. * Any three positive test among Piriformis Test, Beatty Test, Freiberg Test, FAIR Test, Sign of Pace \& Nagel.
Exclusion criteria
Positive Leagues' sign. * Any pathology or recent injury around hip, knee and SI joint . * Fracture of femur \& hip joint dislocation. * Pain due to neurological, spinal or pelvic origin. * Limb length discrepancy . * Stenosis of spine and disc herniation . * Any postural abnormality/ deformity . * Tumors and facet joint pathology. * Congenital or acquired abnormality in the spinal column . * Pregnancy . * Neurological conditions like, CVA, Parkinson's disease, non-cooperative \& subjects with psychological impairment .
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) | From enrolment to the end of treatment at 4 weeks | The Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) is a self-reported questionnaire used to assess lower extremity functional status in individuals with musculoskeletal conditions. It consists of 20 items related to daily activities such as walking, climbing stairs, squatting, and running. Each item is scored on a 5-point Likert scale (0 = extreme difficulty/unable to perform, 4 = no difficulty), with a maximum total score of 80. Higher scores indicate better functional ability. The LEFS is widely used due to its high reliability, validity, and responsiveness in evaluating functional improvement over time. |
| Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) | from enrollment to the end of treatment at 4 weeks | The Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) is a subjective measure used to assess pain intensity. Patients are asked to rate their current pain level on a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 represents "no pain" and 10 represents "worst imaginable pain." It is simple, quick to administer, and clinically reliable for monitoring changes in pain over time. A reduction of 2 points or more is generally considered clinically meaningful improvement |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Hip Abduction range of motion | from enrollment to the end of treatment. | Changes in hip abduction range of motion at baseline and 4 weeks of intervention were measured using a universal goniometer. |
| Hip external roration ROM | From enrollment to the end of treatment at 4 weeks. | Changes in hip external rotation range of motion at baseline and 4 weeks of intervention were measured using a universal goniomete |
Countries
Pakistan
Contacts
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORHumera Mubashar, Ms-OMPT
Riphah International University
Outcome results
None listed