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.