Association of Prolonged Sitting and Postural Imbalance with Piriformis Syndrome in Physiotherapists

Prolonged Sitting and Postural Imbalance with Piriformis Syndrome in Physiotherapists

Abstract

Piriformis Syndrome can be a frequent yet underdiagnosed issue in the entrapment of the sciatic nerve, typically related to long sitting durations and inappropriate posture. Physiotherapists are a vulnerable group as they have long hours of sitting while treating patients; however, there is very little information available about them, especially in Pakistan. Objective: To assess the correlation between sitting time, postural imbalance, and piriformis syndrome among physiotherapists in Lahore, Pakistan. Methods: Convenience sampling was used for the cross-sectional study, with 158 physiotherapists selected from public hospitals of Lahore. A standard questionnaire was administered, as well as three provocation tests for piriformis syndrome (FAIR test, Freiberg's sign, and Pace's test), and the Reedco Posture Assessment Scale. Age, gender, Body Mass Index (BMI), and work experience were controlled for using binary logistic regression. Results: The mean age was 40.12 years, SD = 12.04 years; and 53.2% of the participants were positive for piriformis syndrome. Forty-five. 6 percent of physiotherapists reported sitting for >8 hours daily, and 35.4 percent had poor sitting posture. Prolonged sitting was still significantly associated with piriformis syndrome after adjustment for the confounders (OR = 2.4, 95 percent CI: 1.2 to 4.8, p=0.01). A borderline association was seen with postural imbalance (odds ratio = 1.9, 95 percent confidence interval: 0.9 to 3.8, p=0.06). Conclusions:  After controlling for the potential confounders, the results revealed that prolonged sitting is significantly associated with piriformis syndrome in physiotherapists. This is considered an occupational risk and can be reduced through ergonomic interventions and frequent postural training.