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NCT Number: NCT07661485

Comparing Two Soft Tissues Technique on Piriformis Syndrome Patients

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

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Key information

Conditions

Piriformis Syndrome Congenital Abnormalities Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities Mononeuropathies Musculoskeletal Abnormalities Musculoskeletal Diseases Nerve Compression Syndromes Nervous System Diseases Neuralgia Neurologic Manifestations Neuromuscular Diseases Pain Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Pelvic Pain Peripheral Nervous System Diseases Piriformis Muscle Syndrome Radiculopathy Sciatic Neuropathy Sciatica Signs and Symptoms

Age range

20 year–50 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

The University of Faisalabad

Faisalābad, Punjab Province, 38000, Pakistan

About this study

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.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

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

Treatment and study plan

Myofascial Release

Other

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.

Post isometric relaxation

Other

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.

Primary outcomes

  1. Visual analogue scale

    Time frame: Baseline and 4 week post intervention

    Comparison 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 outcomes

  1. Lower Extremity Functional Scale

    Time frame: Baseline and 4 week of post intervention

    Comparison 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.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Dr. Muhammad Ateeb, PhD Public Health

CONTACT

+923357333383

Dr. Muhammad Muneeb Jafar, PhD Physiotherapy

CONTACT

[email protected]

+923127000616

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Faisalabad

Other

Registry information

Official study title

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

Acronym: MPR-PIR

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jun 22, 2026
Registry last updated
Jun 30, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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