Effect of Ultrasound and Piriformis Stretching in Reducing Pain and Improving Functional Activities in Patients with Piriformis Syndrome: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Objective: Piriformis syndrome is a neuromuscular disorder that occurs when the piriformis muscle compresses or otherwise irritates the sciatic nerve, eliciting pain, tingling and numbness in the buttock region. In piriformis syndrome, a spasming piriformis muscle leads to compression of the sciatic nerve, which limits a person's ability to perform day-to-day activities due to pain and tingling/numbness. The Undiagnosed Somatic Dysfunction turns into long-term dysfunction and can lead to more complex neuromuscular impairments and muscle weakness. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of combining ultrasound therapy with piriformis stretching as a physiotherapy Material and Methods: The total number of subjects in the present study was 30, and all met the requirements for diagnosis of piriformis syndrome. 15 subjects were assigned to Group A, which received a diathermy and stretching intervention. 15 subjects in Group B received no treatment. Group A pre- and post-intervention data will be obtained during the 12-week session. Results: Based on the analysis using the Likert scale and lower extremity functional scale in Group A and Group B, Group A showed an extreme statistical significance with a p-value < 0.0001. Conclusion: Both ultrasound and piriformis stretching are efficient in decreasing pain and disability, increasing muscle stretching and improving ROM of the hip joint in piriformis syndrome Key words: ultrasound, stretching therapy, piriformis syndrome, Likert scale, lower extremity functional scale.