Electromagnetic field therapy

Magnetic field therapy in early knee osteoarthritis produces rapid and substantial pain reduction

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Henry Ford Hospital, CFP 644, 2799 West Grand Blvd., Detroit, MI, 48202, USA – Nelson FR, Zvirbulis R, Pilla AA. Quoted From Rheumatol Int. 2012 Mar 27. [Epub ahead of print]

Abstract: Non-invasive electromagnetic field therapy produces rapid and substantial pain reduction in early knee osteoarthritis: a randomized double-blind pilot study:

This study examined whether a non-thermal, non-invasive, pulsed magnetic field (PEMF), known to modulate the calmodulin (CaM)-dependent nitric oxide (NO)/cyclic guano sine monophosphate (cGMP) signaling pathway, could reduce pain in early knee OA. This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind pilot clinical study enrolled 34 patients. Patient selection required initial VAS ≥4, 2 h of standing activity per day, and no recent interventions such as cortisone injections or surgery.

Results showed VAS pain score decreased in the active cohort by 50 ± 11 % versus baseline starting at day 1 and persisting to day 42 (P < 0.001). There was no significant decrease in VAS versus baseline at any time point in the sham cohort (P = 0.227).

The overall decrease in mean VAS score for the active cohort was nearly threefold that of the sham cohort (P < 0.001). The results suggest that non-thermal, non-invasive PEMF therapy can have a significant and rapid impact on pain from early knee OA and that larger clinical trials are warranted.

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