Published Research

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy is a non-invasive treatment that utilizes electromagnetic fields to stimulate and promote natural healing processes within the body. PEMF therapy works by emitting low-frequency electromagnetic pulses, which penetrate deep into tissues and cells, enhancing cellular function and health. PEMF applications are vast, ranging from enhancing recovery in athletes to supporting overall well-being in everyday individuals. PEMF therapy is increasingly recognized in the realm of sports and physical activity for its profound benefits in enhancing performance, accelerating recovery, and preventing injuries. By improving circulation, enhancing tissue oxygenation, and promoting the body's natural healing processes, PEMF therapy has become an invaluable tool in sports medicine, contributing to optimized physical health and prolonged athletic careers. In this review, we explore the effects of PEMF on exercise and the underlying physiological mechanisms.

Abstract
Thin soles and poor palmar angle are common issues among performance horses. Pulse electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy is frequently used in veterinary medicine for the treatment of bone fractures/bruising, inflammation, and repair, but no studies have been performed to validate this therapy in the equine hoof. Ten adult horses of mixed breed were enrolled in the study and placed into either the PEMF (n=6) or control (n=4) group. The PEMF group received PEMF application (22 Hz) directly to both hooves of the forelimb for 10 minutes on M/W/F, and this treatment protocol persisted for 30 days. Control animals received no intervention. Radiography was performed the day prior to treatment onset in addition to 30 days after treatment onset. Sole depth and palmar angle were evaluated. Statistics were performed utilizing SAS® 9.4, where the effect of treatment was evaluated using a Welch’s T-test. Significance was set to P≤0.05 with trends noted at P≤0.1. A trend towards an increase in sole depth beneath the distal processes of the right foot (P=0.07) was noted in PEMF-treated animals. No improvement was observed in the sole depth of the apex of the proximal phalanx for either hoof (P=0.65) nor palmar angles (P=0.24). These results suggest that PEMF therapy had mild benefit to the sole depth of the equine hoof, with a trend towards an improvement in the distal processes of a single hoof. Further research targeting PEMF therapy is justified, potentially offer the equine industry a non-invasive option to assist the equine struggling with thin soles.

Osteoarthritis (OA) significantly impacts patients’ quality of life and negatively affects public healthcare costs. The aim of this systematic review is to identify the effectiveness of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) in OA treatment across different anatomical districts, determining pain reduction and overall improvement in the patient’s quality of life. (2)

Environmental biophysical interactions are recognized to play an essential part in the human biological processes associated with trauma recovery. Many studies over several decades have furthered our understanding of the effects that Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields (PEMF) have on the human body, as well as on cellular and biophysical systems. These investigations have been driven by the observed positive clinical effects of this non-invasive treatment on patients, mainly in orthopedics. Unfortunately, the diversity of the various study setups, with regard to physical parameters, molecular and cellular response, and clinical outcomes, has made it difficult to interpret and evaluate commonalities, which could, in turn, lead to finding an underlying mechanistic understanding of this treatment modality. In this review, we give a birds-eye view of the vast landscape of studies that have been published on PEMF, presenting the reader with a scaffolded summary of relevant literature starting from categorical literature reviews down to individual studies for future research studies and clinical use. We also highlight discrepancies within the many diverse study setups to find common reporting parameters that can lead to a better universal understanding of PEMF effects."

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is regarded as a major contributor to low back pain (LBP), causing serious economic burden on individuals and society. Unfortunately, there are limited effective treatment for IVD degeneration. Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) is an economical and effective physical therapy method, with reduced side-effects. It offers certain protection to a number of degenerative diseases. Therefore, understanding the underlying mechanism of PEMF on IVD is important for improving the PEMF therapeutic efficiency. In this study, PEMF up-regulated extracellular matrix (ECM) related genes in degenerated nucleus pulposus (NP) cells. It also increased SIRT1 expression and promoted autophagy in degenerated NP cells. In contrast, the autophagy suppressor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) reversed the beneficial effect of PEMF on ECM production. Similarly, the SIRT1 enzyme activity suppressor EX 527 also inhibited the effect of PEMF on autophagy and ECM production in NP cells, thereby suggesting that PEMF regulated ECM related genes expression through SIRT1-autophagy signaling pathway. Lastly, PEMF significantly reduced IVD degeneration in a rat model of IVD degeneration in vivo. In summary, our study uncovers a critical role of SIRT1-dependent autophagy signaling pathway in ECM protection and thus in the establishment of therapeutic effect of PEMF on IVD degeneration.

Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) is emerging as innovative treatment for regulation of inflammation, which could have significant effects on tissue regeneration. PEMF modulates inflammatory processes through the regulation of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine secretion during different stages of inflammatory response. Consistent outcomes in studies involving animal and human tissue have shown promise for the use of PEMF as an alternative or complementary treatment to pharmaceutical therapies. Thus, PEMF treatment could provide a novel nonpharmaceutical means of modulating inflammation in injured tissues resulting in enhanced functional recovery. This review examines the effect of PEMF on immunomodulatory cells (e.g., mesenchymal stem/stromal cells [MSCs] and macrophages [MΦ]) to better understand the potential for PEMF therapy to modulate inflammatory signaling pathways and improve tissue regeneration. This review cites published data that support the use of PEMF to improve tissue regeneration. Our studies included herein confirm anti-inflammatory effects of PEMF on MSCs and MΦ."

Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy can non-invasively treat a variety of pathologies by delivering electric and magnetic fields to tissues via inductive coils. The electromagnetic fields generated by these devices have been found to affect a variety of biological processes and basic science understanding of the underlying mechanisms of action of PEMF treatment has accelerated in the last 10 years. Accumulating clinical evidence supports the use of PEMF therapy in both animals and humans for specific clinical indications including bone healing, wound healing, osteoarthritis and inflammation, and treatment of post-operative pain and edema. While there is some confusion about PEMF as a clinical treatment modality, it is increasingly being prescribed by veterinarians. In an effort to unravel the confusion surrounding PEMF devices, this article reviews important PEMF history, device taxonomy, mechanisms of action, basic science and clinical evidence, and relevant trends in veterinary medicine. The data reviewed underscore the usefulness of PEMF treatment as a safe, non-invasive treatment modality that has the potential to become an important stand-alone or adjunctive treatment modality in veterinary care."

Background
Low back pain is a worldwide prevalent musculoskeletal condition in the general population. In this sense, the pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) therapy has shown significant clinical benefits in several musculoskeletal conditions.
Objective
To assess the effectiveness of the PEMF therapy in reducing pain and clinical symptomatology in patients with low back pathological conditions.
Methods
It was performed a comprehensive database search using Pubmed, Scopus, Cochrane Library and PEDro databases to assess the effectiveness of the PEMF therapy in reducing pain and clinical symptomatology in patients with low back pathological conditions. The search was performed from January 2005 to August 2015 and conducted by two independent investigators, which scrutinize the reference list of most relevant studies. The methodological quality was assessed by the PEDro scale and the level of evidence was set according Oxford Center for Evidence-Based Medicine scale.
Results
Six studies were eligible inclusion on the qualitative analysis and five into the quantitative analysis, scoring an overall 6.8 points according the PEDro scale. The studies showed heterogeneity concerning the intervention protocols. Nevertheless, the effect sizes’ indicated a clear tendency to reduction of the pain intensity favoring the PEMF groups, reaching a minimal clinically important difference.
Conclusion
PEMF therapy seems to be able to relieve the pain intensity and improve functionality in individuals with low back pain conditions. Further research is needed regarding PEMF effects on the different conditions of low back pain, with standardized protocols, larger samples and adjustment for low back pain confounders in order to achieve stronger conclusions.

to compare the effects of pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy and sham treatment on DOMS-related variables in elbow flexors at 24, 48 and 72 h after delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) induction exercise.

“PEMF effects on macrophages* can enhance the body’s curative mechanisms to possibly clear infections and tissue damage, dissipate inflammation, and promote healing.”