Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28836092›Full record

SynthesisEuropean journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie2018

Four symptoms define the piriformis syndrome: an updated systematic review of its clinical features.

Kevork Hopayian, Armine Danielyan

5 registry-linked trialsAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 5 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 34 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
34citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT04600024 completednot on this map

The Importance of Pelvic Morphometric Measurements in Piriformis Syndrome: A Case-control Study

TypeobservationalSponsorFatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research HospitalRan2018 to 2020Enrolled45ConditionsPiriformis Muscle Syndrome, AnthropometryArmsUltrasound guided diagnostic injection
NCT05271071 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2022, after this paper: background citation

The Importance of Gluteus Maximus Muscle in Patients With Preliminary Diagnosis of Piriformis Syndrome: Prospective, Randomized, Single-Blind, Crossover Study

TypeinterventionalSponsorIstanbul University - CerrahpasaRan2022 to 2022Enrolled60ConditionsPiriformis Muscle Syndrome, Myofacial Pain Syndromes, Piriformis SyndromeArmsUltrasound guided piriformis muscle and gluteus maximus muscle lidocaine injection
NCT05404607 naunknown statusnot on this mapstarted 2022, after this paper: background citation

Comparative Effects of Fascial Distortion Model With and Without Neuromuscular Inhibition Technique on Pain, Range of Motion and Quality of Life in Patients With Piriformis Syndrome

TypeinterventionalSponsorRiphah International UniversityRan2022 to 2023Enrolled54ConditionsPiriformis SyndromeArmsFascial distortion method with neuromuscular inhibition technique, Fascial distortion method
NCT06460675 naunknown statusnot on this mapstarted 2024, after this paper: background citation

Comparative Effects of Autogenic Inhibition and Reciprocal Inhibition Muscle Energy Techniques in Piriformis Syndrome

TypeinterventionalSponsorRiphah International UniversityRan2024 to 2024Enrolled32ConditionsPiriformis SyndromeArmsAutogenic Inhibition Muscle Energy Technique, Reciprocal Inhibition Muscle Energy Technique
NCT07473349 nanot yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

Evaluation of the Diagnostic Accuracy of Diagnostic Criteria and Clinical Tests for Piriformis Syndrome

TypeinterventionalSponsorIstanbul University - CerrahpasaRan2026 to 2026Enrolled75ConditionsPiriformis Syndrome, Gluteal PainArmsUltrasound-Guided Piriformis Injection
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

34 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Piriformis syndrome and lumbosacral radiculopathy: An overlooked coexistence.Turkish journal of physical medicine and rehabilitation · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Deep Gluteal syndrome: An underestimated cause of posterior hip pain.Turkish journal of physical medicine and rehabilitation · 2024
    Review
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Review
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Observational
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Kevork HopayianCentre for Primary Care and Population Health, University of Nicosia, Makedonitissas Avenue, 1700, Nicosia, Cyprus. khopayian@me.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3037-7242
Armine DanielyanFamily Medicine Department, Yerevan State Medical University, Koryun Street, Yerevan, Armenia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo update the evidence on the clinical features of the piriformis syndrome since the first systematic review published in 2010.

methodA systematic review of all case, cross-sectional and prevalence studies.

resultsThe commonest features reported were: buttock pain, pain aggravated on sitting, external tenderness near the greater sciatic notch and pain on any maneuver that increases piriformis muscle tension, and limitation of straight leg raising. The quality of case reports since the previous review has not improved with considerable under-reporting of presumed negative tests. Three recent cross-sectional and prevalence studies have been reported, but the two larger studies are at high risk of bias.

conclusionsPiriformis syndrome can be defined by a quartet of symptoms and signs. Many physical tests have been described, but the accuracy of these tests and the symptoms cannot be concluded from studies to date. Straight leg raising does not rule out the diagnosis. Piriformis syndrome is at a stage previously encountered with herniated intervertebral disc: that piriformis muscle pathology can cause sciatica has been demonstrated, but its prevalence among low back pain and sciatica sufferers and the diagnostic accuracy of clinical features requires cross-sectional studies free of incorporation and verification biases. One small cross-sectional study provides an encouraging example of how such studies could be conducted but would need replication in a broader population and better reporting.

Indexed as

ButtocksHumansMusculoskeletal PainPhysical ExaminationPiriformis Muscle SyndromeDiagnosisPiriformis syndromeSciaticaSystematic review

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.