NCT05023005

Strain-Counterstrain Treatment of Piriformis Pain

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 30 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Loma Linda University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The purpose of this investigator-initiated study is to provide an efficient and non-invasive treatment option for pain caused by the piriformis muscle.

Detailed description

There are two arms to the study: treatment and sham. The treatment group will receive strain-counterstrain for the piriformis muscle. The sham group will receive strain-counterstrain treatment for the hamstring muscle. There will be two treatments, 1-2 weeks apart ideally. Participants will fill out the Oswestry Disability Index Questionnaire before the first treatment and after the second treatment (which is 1-2 weeks after the first treatment). Participants will also identify pain using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) before and after each treatment. Participants will identify pain at rest prior to treatment using VAS. Participant will then identify pain at the start of treatment while pressure is applied to the piriformis muscle (4.5kg/cm2) and post treatment while pressure is applied to the piriformis muscle (4.5 kg/cm2). An algometer will be used pre and post each treatment (2 treatments that are 1-2 weeks apart) to objectively measure any change in pain pressure threshold.

Conditions

• Low Back Pain, Mechanical
• Piriformis Syndrome
• Somatic Dysfunction of Sacral Region (Finding)

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Strain-Counterstrain treatment of piriformis muscle	Participant will lay prone on table with affected leg close to edge of table. Piriformis muscle tender point is identified and palpated. Then patient leg is passively moved off table and passive hip flexion, abduction, and possible internal/external rotation is added to reduce tender point by 70% or more. This is done passively. This position is held for 90 seconds and then participant is passively returned back to neutral prone position with leg on table. Tender point is palpated again to reassess for change in pain (using subjective visual analog scale). An algometer is also used pre and post to assess objective change in pressure pain threshold.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-12-01
• Primary completion: 2026-09-01
• Completion: 2026-09-01
• First posted: 2021-08-26
• Last updated: 2025-10-30

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States