Effects of ELDOA and post-facilitation stretching technique on pain and functional performance in patients with piriformis syndrome: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Piriformis syndrome (PS) is a neuro-muscular condition, which is often underdiagnosed in clinical settings. This study will determine the effects of myofascial stretching Elongation Longitudinaux Avec Decoaption Osteo Articulaire (ELDOA) and post-facilitation stretching of the piriformis muscle in patients with PS. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the effects of ELDOA and post-facilitation stretching of the piriformis muscle on pain, muscle length and functional performance in patients with PS. METHODS: A randomized clinical trial was conducted with 40 PS patients including both males and females, between the ages of 30–70. Patients were randomly assigned to the ELDOA or post-facilitation group after assessments with the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS), Piriformis Length Test and Straight Leg Raise (SLR). The assessments were done at baseline and at the end of the sixth week of treatment. RESULTS: The patients treated with ELDOA demonstrated significant improvement in pain (pre = 7.00 ± 2.75, post = 3.00 ± 1.75), piriformis length (pre = 27.6 ± 5.54, post = 36.8 ± 3.13), SLR (pre = 36.40 ± 7.24, post = 67.5 ± 8.36) and LEFS (pre = 26.90 ± 12.24, post = 58.10 ± 8.62), as compared with the group treated with post-facilitation stretching: pain: pre = 6.00 ± 1.00, post = 2.00 ± 1.50; piriformis length: pre = 28.55 ± 4.03, post = 38.8 ± 2.70; SLR: pre = 40.60 ± 7.48, post = 74.25 ± 5.19, and LEFS: pre = 25.20 ± 7.66, post = 66.30 ± 7.27). CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that the post-facilitation stretching technique shows more improvement in pain, muscle length, SLR, and LEFS in patients with PS as compared to ELDOA.