Stretching showdown: which technique eases piriformis pain best?
NCT ID NCT07255053
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested two stretching techniques—Post-Isometric Relaxation and Post-Facilitation Stretching—in 36 adults with piriformis syndrome, a condition that causes buttock pain and limits hip movement. Participants did the exercises three times a week for four weeks. Researchers measured pain, hip range of motion, and daily function to see which method works better.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- stretching exercises (Post-Isometric Relaxation and Post-Facilitation Stretching)
- What this could lead to
- If one technique proves better, it could give doctors a simple, drug-free way to reduce pain and improve hip movement in people with piriformis syndrome.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, single-site trial with only 36 participants. Results may not apply to everyone, and the benefit over standard care is uncertain.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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36 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Feb 2025
- Finished
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Aug 2025
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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35 to 55 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: \- Participants aged 35-55 years Both genders Positive findings on three or more of the following tests: Piriformis, Beatty, Freiberg, FAIR, Sign of Pace, Nagel tonic external rotation of hip Bilateral buttock pain caused by compression of the sciatic nerve or piriformis muscle spasm NPRS pain score between 3 and 7 Tenderness to palpation over the sciatic foramen Diagnosed sub-acute or chronic Piriformis Syndrome Willing to participate Exclusion Criteria: * Any pathology or recent injury around the hip, knee, or SI joint, or radiating pain from the spine, SI joint, or hip History of spinal surgery or vertebral fracture History of systemic disease, stroke, leprosy, or amputation Leg pain not related to Piriformis Syndrome (e.g., disc herniation, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, degenerative joint disease) History of spinal injury, joint disease, or congenital abnormalities Limb length difference SI joint dysfunction Hip joint dislocation or femoral fracture Any postural deformity or anomaly (e.g., scoliosis) Psychologically diagnosed condition
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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The University of Faisalabad
Faisalābad, Punjab Province, 38000, Pakistan
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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