Chronic Pain
Knee Osteoarthritis: Wearable PEMF vs Placebo (RCT)
Grade A-Randomized controlled trial2016
What did this study find?
Sixty-six adults with radiographic knee osteoarthritis wore either an active pulsed electromagnetic field device or a placebo unit for one month. The active group reported significantly lower pain and better function than placebo, and about a quarter stopped taking anti-inflammatories or analgesics. No adverse events were recorded during the trial.
What are the details of this record?
- Full citation
- Bagnato GL, Miceli G, Marino N, Sciortino D, Bagnato GF. Pulsed electromagnetic fields in knee osteoarthritis: a double blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2016;55(4):755-762.
- Journal
- Rheumatology
- Authors
- Bagnato GL, Miceli G, Marino N, et al.
- Study design
- Randomized controlled trial
- Sample size and population
- 66 adults with radiographic knee OA
- Evidence grade
- Grade A- on the BioReg grading scale
- Reported findings
- After 1 month, PEMF significantly reduced VAS pain and WOMAC vs placebo; 26% stopped NSAIDs/analgesics; no adverse events detected.
- DOI
- No DOI recorded
- PubMed
- PMID 26705327
- Related categories
- Chronic Pain (category grade A-)
A positive PEMF study is not evidence for a specific device unless the signal parameters studied, frequency, intensity, waveform, and exposure duration, are reasonably comparable to what that device produces. Where this record does not list those parameters, the source report did not publish them. See the grading methodology. Library last reviewed 2026-08-27.