Targeted LPEMF therapy was markedly more effective than standard care in reducing both pain and pharmacologic use. These findings support the use of PEMF as a safe, non-invasive, and non-pharmacologic option for managing joint and soft tissue pain.
There is a growing need for strategies that minimize reliance on pharmacologic treatments for pain management. Pulse controlled electromagnetic field therapy is a non-invasive, non-pharmacologic modality that enhances healing through several instruments like the modulation of nitric oxide signaling or mitohormesis. This study evaluated whether pulse controlled electromagnetic field therapy could reduce pain intensity and pharmacologic use compared to standard-of-care (SOC) treatment for joint and soft tissue pain.
In this prospective, randomized controlled trial, 120 patients with joint or soft tissue pain were recruited from five orthopedic clinics. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either therapy or SOC treatment. The therapy group self-administered daily therapy using a commercially available device, while the SOC group followed their clinician’s prescribed treatment regimen. Pain levels, medication use, and adverse events were documented daily over a 14-day period. Afterward, SOC participants were offered the opportunity to cross over to therapy for an additional 16 days. The trial was monitored by an independent clinical research organization. The study hypothesized that therapy would yield superior pain management outcomes compared to SOC.
Therapy produced significantly greater pain relief than SOC. Complete datasets were available for 91 participants—48 in the therapy group and 43 in the SOC group. The least squares mean change in pain score from baseline was −1.8 (a 36% reduction) in the therapy group, significantly greater than −0.46 (a 10% reduction) in the SOC group (p < 0.0001). Pharmacologic use declined from 40% to 18% in the therapy group (a 55% reduction), compared with a reduction from 40% to 35% (a 12% reduction) in the SOC group. In the crossover subgroup, participants experienced an additional 18% reduction in pain and a 63% decrease in pharmacologic use after switching to therapy.
Reference
Hackel, J.G., Paci, J.M., Gupta, S. et al. Evaluating Noninvasive Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy for Joint and Soft Tissue Pain Management: A Prospective, Multi-center, Randomized Clinical Trial. Pain Ther 14, 723–735 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40122-025-00711-z