The clinical features of the piriformis syndrome: a systematic review

Hopayian, Kevork ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3037-7242, Song, Fujian, Riera, Ricardo and Sambandan, Sidha (2010) The clinical features of the piriformis syndrome: a systematic review. European Spinal Journal, 19 (12). pp. 2095-2109.

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Abstract

Piriformis syndrome, sciatica caused by compression of the sciatic nerve by the piriformis muscle, has been described for over 70 years; yet, it remains controversial. The literature consists mainly of case series and narrative reviews. The objectives of the study were: first, to make the best use of existing evidence to estimate the frequencies of clinical features in patients reported to have PS; second, to identify future research questions. A systematic review was conducted of any study type that reported extractable data relevant to diagnosis. The search included all studies up to 1 March 2008 in four databases: AMED, CINAHL, Embase and Medline. Screening, data extraction and analysis were all performed independently by two reviewers. A total of 55 studies were included: 51 individual and 3 aggregated data studies, and 1 combined study. The most common features found were: buttock pain, external tenderness over the greater sciatic notch, aggravation of the pain through sitting and augmentation of the pain with manoeuvres that increase piriformis muscle tension. Future research could start with comparing the frequencies of these features in sciatica patients with and without disc herniation or spinal stenosis.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: Also attached, a copy of the poster presented at Society for Academic General Practice, July 2010, which summarises the project on a single poster.
Uncontrolled Keywords: piriformis,sciatica,diagnosis,systematic review
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Public Health and Health Services Research (former - to 2023)
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Health Services and Primary Care
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Epidemiology and Public Health
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Population Health
Depositing User: Kevork Hopayian
Date Deposited: 13 Jan 2012 22:27
Last Modified: 19 Oct 2023 00:32
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/34961
DOI: 10.1007/s00586-010-1504-9

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