Abstract
Study Objective: To compare the relief of pain obtained in patients with neurogenic low back pain with specific piriformis stretch and with global stretching.
Study Design: Randomized Control Trail (RCT)
Place and Duration of study: Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation IIMCT Pakistan Railways General Hospital Rawalpindi, from March 2011 to January 2012
Methodology: 38 patients were selected from the out-patient physical therapy and rehabilitation department IIMCT Pakistan railways general hospital Rawalpindi, 21 male and 17 were female and randomly placed into two groups, in group A 20 patients, 11 male and 9 female with age range 28-68 and mean age 42.95 years, in group B 18 patients were included, 10 male and 8 female, age range 32-63 and average age 46.66 years. The specific Piriformis stretching technique were applied in group A and global stretching was applied to patients in group B. the pain intensity was used as an assessment tool and measured by Visual Analog Scale (VAS) on 0-10 scale and recorded before the starting of the treatment and after completion of the 2 weeks treatment period. The data were analyzed by SPSS-14 version and t test was applied to determine the p value and the level of significance was 95%.
Result: The P value calculated for Group A, the specific Piriformis stretching group was (p<0 .002) statistically more significant than group B (p<0.028) the global stretching group. So the specific Piriformis stretching is more effective than the global stretching in neurogenic low back pain.
Conclusion: The specific Piriformis stretching technique is more effective than the global stretching in neurogenic low back pain. It can increase the quality of treatment and decrease the pain intensity.

Key words: Neurogenic lower back pain, specific Piriformis stretching, global lower back muscles stretching