Foam Rolling and Dynamic Stretching in Piriformis Syndrome

Summary

To compare the combined effects of foam rolling and dynamic stretching in patients with piriformis syndrome.

1. Warm-Up (2-3 minutes) Objective: Increase blood flow and prepare muscles for stretching.

* Marching in Place - 30 seconds
* Pelvic Tilts - 10 reps
* Gentle Hip Circles - 10 reps each direction
2. Intervention Phase (8-10 minutes) Group 1: Foam Rolling Alone (FR) (\~10 minutes)

* Piriformis Foam Rolling: 30-60 sec per side (2-3 sets)
* Glutes \& Lower Back Foam Rolling: 30 sec each (2-3 sets)
* Hamstrings \& IT Band Foam Rolling: 30 sec each (2-3 sets)

Focus: Slow, controlled rolling with sustained pressure on tender spots. Group 2: Foam Rolling + Dynamic Stretching (FR+DS) (\~10-12 minutes) Step 1: Foam Rolling (\~5-6 minutes, same as Group 1) Step 2: Dynamic Stretching (\~5-6 minutes)
* Dynamic Piriformis Stretch: Standing knee-to-opposite-shoulder pull (10 reps per leg)
* Leg Swings: Forward and sideways (10 reps each leg)
* Walking Lunges with Rotation: 10 reps per leg
* Hip Circles \& Controlled Butt Kicks: 10 reps each
3. Cool-Down (2-3 minutes) Objective: Reduce muscle tension and promote recovery.

* Seated Piriformis Stretch: 30 sec hold per side (2 sets)
* Hamstring Stretch: 30 sec hold per leg
* Lower Back Stretch (Child's Pose): 30 sec

Progression \& Adjustments

* Gradual increase in duration or intensity as tolerated.
* Modify exercises if discomfort or pain occurs.
* After week 4, increase dynamic stretch duration if flexibility improves.

Outcome Measures

The effectiveness of the intervention will be assessed through the following key outcome measures:

1. Pain Level - Evaluating changes in discomfort intensity during daily activities and movement.
2. Range of Motion (ROM) - Measuring improvements in hip flexibility and mobility.

Conditions

• Piriformis Syndrome

Interventions

OTHER

Group A (Foam Rolling)

Foam Rolling Alone (FR) (\~10 minutes) * Piriformis Foam Rolling: 30-60 sec per side (2-3 sets) * Glutes \& Lower Back Foam Rolling: 30 sec each (2-3 sets) * Hamstrings \& IT Band Foam Rolling: 30 sec each (2-3 sets) Focus: Slow, controlled rolling with sustained pressure on tender spots.

OTHER

Group B (Foam rolling and Dynamic Stretching)

Dynamic Stretching (\~5-6 minutes) * Dynamic Piriformis Stretch: Standing knee-to-opposite-shoulder pull (10 reps per leg) * Leg Swings: Forward and sideways (10 reps each leg) * Walking Lunges with Rotation: 10 reps per leg * Hip Circles \& Controlled Butt Kicks: 10 reps each 3\. Cool-Down (2-3 minutes) Objective: Reduce muscle tension and promote recovery. * Seated Piriformis Stretch: 30 sec hold per side (2 sets) * Hamstring Stretch: 30 sec hold per leg * Lower Back Stretch (Child's Pose): 30 sec

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Lahore

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Sana Akram, MS-OMPT · University of Lahore

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

35 Years

Max Age

50 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-10-31

Primary Completion

2025-12-25

Completion

2026-01-02

Countries

• Pakistan

Study Locations