Sciatica Due to Intervertebral Disc DisorderNCT07805265
Effect of Sensorimotor Training on Pain and Gait Performance in Patients With Discogenic Sciatica
A study testing Standard physical therapy and Sensorimotor Training in people with Sciatica Due to Intervertebral Disc Disorder, run by Cairo University at 1 site in Egypt.
Trial summary
This study aims to investigate the effect of sensorimotor training on gait performance in patients with discogenic sciatica. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 30 to 55 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Sciatica Due to Intervertebral Disc Disorder
- What is being tested?
- Standard physical therapy and Sensorimotor Training
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 30 participants
- Where
- 1 siteEgypt
- Study dates
- 7 Sep 2026to 21 Jan 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 30 to 55 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Thirty patients of both sexes diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation affecting the L4-L5 and/or L5-S1 nerve roots will be included in this study.
- Presence of lumbar disc herniation (LDH) will be confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- Age will range from 30 to 55 years.
- Patients experiencing radiating pain along the sciatic nerve distribution (symptoms persisting for more than 3 months).
- All patients must be employed in office-based jobs.
- Berg Balance Scale score will range from 21 to 40 (moderate balance impairment).
- Body Mass Index (BMI) will be within the normal to overweight range (18.5 29.9 kg/m²).
- All the patients will be able to walk independently with or without minimal assistance.
Who cannot join
- Patients with a history of spinal surgery will be excluded.
- Presence of central neurological disorders (e.g., stroke).
- Patients with other causes of low back pain which is not related to discogenic origin.
- Affections of the musculoskeletal system including fractures.
- Patients with severe balance impairment (Berg Balance Scale score < 21).
- Presence of vestibular disorders or visual impairments affecting balance.
- Patients are currently participating in other rehabilitation programs.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Hend Mohammad Elsayed Ismail, PhD contact
Egypt1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Outpatient clinic at the Faculty of Physical Therapy, Delta University
Gamasa
Yara Ahmed Mansour, B.Sc, +20 10 08350127, yara.a.mansour@deltauniv.edu.eg
About this study
This study aims to investigate the effect of sensorimotor training on gait performance in patients with discogenic sciatica.
Read the detailed description
Discogenic sciatica is commonly associated with pain, functional limitations, and alterations in gait performance resulting from nerve root involvement and impaired neuromuscular control. Sensorimotor training is an active rehabilitation approach that integrates sensory input with motor responses and may improve proprioception, postural control, balance, and movement coordination.
This study will investigate the additional effect of sensorimotor training in patients with chronic discogenic sciatica. Participants will receive a conventional physical therapy program consisting of interferential current therapy, hot packs, positioning according to directional preference, and static abdominal and back exercises. The experimental intervention will incorporate additional sensorimotor training, including proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF)-based trunk exercises, balance training on unstable surfaces, colored-path sensorimotor exercises, and the Star Excursion Balance Exercise.
The sensorimotor program will use progressive task-specific exercises designed to challenge proprioception, balance, trunk control, and neuromuscular coordination. Exercise difficulty will be gradually progressed according to participants' abilities through changes in surface stability, movement complexity, reach distance, walking speed, and the incorporation of dual-task activities.
The study will evaluate changes in spatiotemporal gait parameters, pressure-pain threshold, and functional disability before and after the intervention. The findings may provide evidence regarding whether adding sensorimotor training to conventional physical therapy offers additional benefits for gait performance, pain-related outcomes, and functional ability in patients with chronic discogenic sciatica.
- Being tested
- Standard physical therapy, Sensorimotor Training
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Standard physical therapyOther
Standard physical therapy will include interferential current therapy applied over the lumbar region at 80-100 Hz for 15-20 minutes, hot packs applied over the lumbar paraspinal region for 10 minutes, positioning according to the patient's directional preference for 10 minutes or as tolerated, and static abdominal and back exercises targeting the transversus abdominis and multifidus. The exercises will be performed as 3 sets of 10 repetitions, with each contraction held for 10 seconds followed by 5 seconds of rest.
Sensorimotor TrainingOther
Sensorimotor training will include PNF-based trunk exercises, balance training on unstable surfaces, colored-path sensorimotor exercises, and the Star Excursion Balance Exercise. The program will incorporate progressive challenges to trunk control, balance, proprioception, and neuromuscular coordination. Progression will include unstable surfaces, alternating limb movements, single-leg and cross bridging, increased walking speed, dual-task activities, increased reach distance, and increased exercise complexity according to patient tolerance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Standard physical therapy | Active comparator | Participants in this arm will receive a standard physical therapy program consisting of interferential current therapy, hot packs, positioning according to directional preference, and static abdominal and back exercises. The treatment will be administered three sessions per week for two months, with each session lasting approximately 45-60 minutes. Receives: Other: Standard physical therapy |
| Sensorimotor Training Plus Standard Physical Therapy | Experimental | Participants in this arm will receive the same standard physical therapy program administered to the active comparator arm, in addition to a sensorimotor training program. The sensorimotor training will include PNF-based trunk exercises, balance training on unstable surfaces, colored-path sensorimotor exercises, and the Star Excursion Balance Exercise. The treatment will be administered three sessions per week for two months, with each session lasting approximately 45-60 minutes. Receives: Other: Standard physical therapy; Other: Sensorimotor Training |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Walking Speed
Walking speed will be assessed using the FreeMed® baropodometric platform with FREESTEP software and reported in meters per second (m/s).
Measured: 2 months
Stride Length
Stride length will be assessed using the FreeMed® baropodometric platform with FREESTEP software and reported in millimeters (mm).
Measured: 2 months
Cadence
Cadence will be assessed using the FreeMed® baropodometric platform with FREESTEP software and reported as steps per minute (steps/min).
Measured: 2 months
Stance Time
Stance time will be assessed using the FreeMed® baropodometric platform with FREESTEP software and reported in seconds (s).
Measured: 2 months
Secondary outcomes (2)
Pressure-Pain Threshold
Pressure-pain threshold will be assessed using a pressure algometer at the lumbar paraspinal, gluteus medius, and piriformis muscles. Higher values indicate greater pressure-pain tolerance.
Measured: 2 months
Functional Disability
Functional disability will be assessed using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). The score will be expressed as a percentage from 0% to 100%, with higher scores indicating greater disability.
Measured: 2 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted4 Sep 2026
- Study start7 Sep 2026
- Primary completion7 Jan 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion21 Jan 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Sciatica Due to Intervertebral Disc DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Cairo UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Cairo University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Yara Ahmed Mansour, Cairo University
- Investigators
- Moshera Hassan Darwiesh, PhD, Study chair, Professor, Cairo UniversityOmar Mohamed Said, PhD, Study director, Lecturer, Cairo UniversityHend Mohammad Elsayed Ismail, PhD, Study director, Lecturer, Delta University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07805265
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- P.T.REC/012/006652
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 1 Sep 2026
- Last updated
- 19 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 19 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effect of Sensorimotor Training on Pain and Gait Performance in Patients With Discogenic Sciatica
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07805265
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- P.T.REC/012/006652
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Cairo UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 7 Sep 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 7 Jan 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 21 Jan 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 4 Sep 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study aims to investigate the effect of sensorimotor training on gait performance in patients with discogenic sciatica.
Detailed description
Discogenic sciatica is commonly associated with pain, functional limitations, and alterations in gait performance resulting from nerve root involvement and impaired neuromuscular control. Sensorimotor training is an active rehabilitation approach that integrates sensory input with motor responses and may improve proprioception, postural control, balance, and movement coordination.
This study will investigate the additional effect of sensorimotor training in patients with chronic discogenic sciatica. Participants will receive a conventional physical therapy program consisting of interferential current therapy, hot packs, positioning according to directional preference, and static abdominal and back exercises. The experimental intervention will incorporate additional sensorimotor training, including proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF)-based trunk exercises, balance training on unstable surfaces, colored-path sensorimotor exercises, and the Star Excursion Balance Exercise.
The sensorimotor program will use progressive task-specific exercises designed to challenge proprioception, balance, trunk control, and neuromuscular coordination. Exercise difficulty will be gradually progressed according to participants' abilities through changes in surface stability, movement complexity, reach distance, walking speed, and the incorporation of dual-task activities.
The study will evaluate changes in spatiotemporal gait parameters, pressure-pain threshold, and functional disability before and after the intervention. The findings may provide evidence regarding whether adding sensorimotor training to conventional physical therapy offers additional benefits for gait performance, pain-related outcomes, and functional ability in patients with chronic discogenic sciatica.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Standard physical therapy | Active comparator | Other: Standard physical therapyParticipants in this arm will receive a standard physical therapy program consisting of interferential current therapy, hot packs, positioning according to directional preference, and static abdominal and back exercises. The treatment will be administered three sessions per week for two months, with each session lasting approximately 45-60 minutes. |
| Sensorimotor Training Plus Standard Physical Therapy | Experimental | Other: Standard physical therapy, Other: Sensorimotor TrainingParticipants in this arm will receive the same standard physical therapy program administered to the active comparator arm, in addition to a sensorimotor training program. The sensorimotor training will include PNF-based trunk exercises, balance training on unstable surfaces, colored-path sensorimotor exercises, and the Star Excursion Balance Exercise. The treatment will be administered three sessions per week for two months, with each session lasting approximately 45-60 minutes. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 30 to 55 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Thirty patients of both sexes diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation affecting the L4-L5 and/or L5-S1 nerve roots will be included in this study.
- Presence of lumbar disc herniation (LDH) will be confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- Age will range from 30 to 55 years.
- Patients experiencing radiating pain along the sciatic nerve distribution (symptoms persisting for more than 3 months).
- All patients must be employed in office-based jobs.
Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Patients with a history of spinal surgery will be excluded.
- Presence of central neurological disorders (e.g., stroke).
- Patients with other causes of low back pain which is not related to discogenic origin.
- Affections of the musculoskeletal system including fractures.
- Patients with severe balance impairment (Berg Balance Scale score < 21).
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Standard physical therapyStandard physical therapy will include interferential current therapy applied over the lumbar region at 80-100 Hz for 15-20 minutes, hot packs applied over the lumbar paraspinal region for 10 minutes, positioning according to the patient's directional preference for 10 minutes or as tolerated, and static abdominal and back exercises targeting the transversus abdominis and multifidus. The exercises will be performed as 3 sets of 10 repetitions, with each contraction held for 10 seconds followed by 5 seconds of rest. | Other | Sensorimotor Training Plus Standard Physical Therapy, Standard physical therapy |
| Sensorimotor TrainingSensorimotor training will include PNF-based trunk exercises, balance training on unstable surfaces, colored-path sensorimotor exercises, and the Star Excursion Balance Exercise. The program will incorporate progressive challenges to trunk control, balance, proprioception, and neuromuscular coordination. Progression will include unstable surfaces, alternating limb movements, single-leg and cross bridging, increased walking speed, dual-task activities, increased reach distance, and increased exercise complexity according to patient tolerance. | Other | Sensorimotor Training Plus Standard Physical Therapy |
Primary outcome
Walking Speed
Time frame: 2 months
Walking speed will be assessed using the FreeMed® baropodometric platform with FREESTEP software and reported in meters per second (m/s).
Stride Length
Time frame: 2 months
Stride length will be assessed using the FreeMed® baropodometric platform with FREESTEP software and reported in millimeters (mm).
Cadence
Time frame: 2 months
Cadence will be assessed using the FreeMed® baropodometric platform with FREESTEP software and reported as steps per minute (steps/min).
Stance Time
Time frame: 2 months
Stance time will be assessed using the FreeMed® baropodometric platform with FREESTEP software and reported in seconds (s).
2 secondary outcomes
Pressure-Pain Threshold
Time frame: 2 months
Functional Disability
Time frame: 2 months
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 19 Oct 2026.
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Electroacupuncture for Insomnia in Patients With Chronic Sciatica Due to Lumbar Disc Herniation: a Randomized Controlled Trial
Sciatica, Lumbar Disc Herniation
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Hend Mohammad Elsayed Ismail, PhD contact
Moshera Hassan Darwiesh, PhD study chair
Professor, Cairo University
Omar Mohamed Said, PhD study director
Lecturer, Cairo University
Hend Mohammad Elsayed Ismail, PhD study director
Lecturer, Delta University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Standard physical therapy and Sensorimotor Training in people with Sciatica Due to Intervertebral Disc Disorder, run by Cairo University at 1 site in Egypt.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 8 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 19 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Egypt. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Yara Ahmed Mansour, B.Sc (+20 10 08350127, yara.a.mansour@deltauniv.edu.eg), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Walking Speed (time frame: 2 months). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 19 Oct 2026.