Key Takeaway
PEMF therapy significantly reduces pain and stiffness and improves physical function in osteoarthritis patients compared to controls.
Summary
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy for osteoarthritis across multiple randomized controlled trials. The authors searched major databases for RCTs comparing PEMF to sham or no treatment in OA patients, assessing outcomes of pain, stiffness, and physical function.
Pooled analysis demonstrated that PEMF therapy produced statistically significant improvements in pain relief, reduction in joint stiffness, and better physical function scores compared to control groups. Subgroup analyses explored the impact of treatment duration and PEMF parameters on outcomes.
The findings support PEMF as an effective non-pharmacological adjunct therapy for osteoarthritis symptom management, particularly for pain and stiffness. However, the authors noted heterogeneity across studies and called for more standardized protocols to determine optimal treatment parameters.
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