"Effectiveness of Physical Therapy Added to Transforaminal Injection in Lumbar Radicular Pain"

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether adding conventional physical therapy modalities to transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESE) provides additional benefits in patients with acute radicular pain due to lumbar disc herniation. While TFESE is a known effective treatment for radicular pain, this research aims to evaluate if physical therapy can further improve pain duration, functional level, disability, and depression scores. Participants will be divided into two groups based on their ability to attend a physical therapy program: Group 1: Patients receiving only ultrasound-guided TFESE and a standard home exercise program. Group 2: Patients receiving ultrasound-guided TFESE combined with 10 sessions of physical therapy (including hot-pack, therapeutic ultrasound, and TENS) and a standard home exercise program. The study will compare the effects of these treatments on pain intensity, disability, spinal range of motion, and depression levels. Assessments will be conducted at baseline (before injection), 1 hour after injection, and at the 1st and 3rd-month follow-up visits.