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Comparing Two Soft Tissues Technique on Piriformis Syndrome Patients

Effect of Myofascial Release as Compared to Post Isometric Relaxation in Improving Pain and Lower Extremity Function in Piriformis Syndrome

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07661485
Acronym
MPR-PIR
Enrollment
26
Registered
2026-06-22
Start date
2026-06-30
Completion date
2026-09-30
Last updated
2026-06-30

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

Conditions

Musculoskeletal Abnormalities, Piriformis Syndrome, Sciatica

Keywords

myofasical release, Post isometric relaxation, physiotherapy, Radiculopathy, Piriformis syndrome

Brief summary

Piriformis Syndrome is a neuromuscular condition with symptoms of pain, numbness and tingling tracing the route of the sciatic nerve, due to the nerve impingement by the piriformis muscle. Two common manual therapy techniques used to treat musculoskeletal conditions are myofascial release and post-isometric relaxation. The intent of the research is to evaluate the effects of myofascial release (MFR) as compared to post-isometric relaxation (PIR) in improving pain and lower extremity function in piriformis syndrome (LEFS). The study population involved 32 individuals aged between 20 to 50 years who will be randomly assigned to two groups; a group that received MFR and a group that received PIR. Both groups received the baseline treatment for four weeks. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) will be employed to gauge the amount of pain, while the LEFS was used to measure functional mobility

Detailed description

This is Multiple-center, randomized controlled trail. Participants age 20-50 years with diagnosed piriformis syndrome will be referred from neuro physician and orthopedic department of Madina Teaching hospital (MTH) to Physiotherapy ward, Jafar Physiotherapy Clinic and Madina Specilaists Clinic. After informed consent Participants will be randomly assign to one of two parallel groups using a random number generator. Group A (Experimental): Receive MFR 3 sessions per week for total duration 4 weeks. Group B (Active Comparator) receive the PIR 3 sessions per week for total duration 4 weeks. Outcome measures (pain via VAS, functional status via LEFS) are taken at baseline and end of treatment. Data will be analyzed using Spss version 20.

Interventions

OTHERMyofascial Release

Myofascial release is performed with the patient positioned in prone lying. The piriformis muscle was identified. Sustained pressure was applied directly to the trigger point/piriformis muscle for 10-100 seconds while the patient actively moved the affected limb repeatedly from internal to external rotation. Kneading strokes parallel to the muscle fibers were then performed for 5 minutes to promote elongation. This sequence was repeated three times.

OTHERPost Isometric Relaxation

Post-isometric relaxation (PIR) is performed with the patient in supine and the hip in neutral rotation. The affected hip was passively moved into horizontal adduction until a mild stretch was felt, while the lumbar spine was stabilized. The patient performed a gentle isometric contraction into hip abduction for 7-10 seconds, followed by 2-3 seconds of relaxation. The leg was then moved into further adduction to a new barrier.

Sponsors

University of Faisalabad
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
20 Years to 50 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Positive Lasegue sign * Positive FAIR test * Grade 1-3 tenderness on palpation of piriformis between sacrum and greater trochanter of femur * 4 or more pain intensity on the VAS scale

Exclusion criteria

* Lower extremity injuries including ligament, tendon injuries, muscle strains as well as nerve injuries * Systemic diseases including tuberculosis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease as well as chronic inflammatory conditions * Congenital deformities including hip dysplasia, limb length discrepancy, scoliosis and congenital pelvic asymmetry * Cognitive issues including dementia, severe depression and severe psychotic disorders * Lumbar Radiculopathy * SIJ Dysfunction * Lower Extremity Fractures * Pregnancy * Malignancy

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Visual analogue scaleBaseline and 4 week post interventionComparison on effect of pain. The Visual Analog Scale is a self-reported measure of pain intensity. Participants rate their pain on a 10-cm scale ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates "no pain" and 10 indicates "worst imaginable pain."

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Lower Extremity Functional ScaleBaseline and 4 week of post interventionComparison on effect of functional outcomes. The Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) is a self-reported questionnaire used to assess functional status and difficulty performing everyday activities in individuals with lower extremity musculoskeletal conditions. The scale consists of 20 items, each scored from 0 to 4, yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 80.

Countries

Pakistan

Contacts

CONTACTDr. Muhammad Muneeb Jafar, PhD Physiotherapy
Muneebjafar.DPT@tuf.edu.pk+923127000616
CONTACTDr. Muhammad Ateeb, PhD Public Health
+923357333383

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Jul 1, 2026