Patients who wore standard magnetic bracelets reported reduced pain from osteoarthritis of the hip or knee compared with patients wearing placebo bracelets
Q Does short term use of magnetic bracelets reduce pain in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip and knee?
METHODS
Design:
randomised placebo controlled trial.
Allocation:
{concealed}.*
Blinding:
blinded (patients, healthcare providers, data analysts, {data collectors, outcome assessors, statistician, and monitoring committee}*).
Follow up period:
12 weeks.
Setting:
5 rural general practices in Mid Devon, UK.
Patients:
194 patients 45–80 years of age (mean age 67 y, 62% men) with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee (diagnosed by an orthopaedic surgeon, rheumatologist, or general practitioner and confirmed by radiological evidence) and scores of 8–20 on the Western Ontario and McMaster University osteoarthritis index (WOMAC A). Exclusion criteria were use of cardiac pacemakers, current use of magnetic bracelets, surgery to the index joint (except arthroscopy), haemophilia, pregnancy, and breast feeding.
Intervention:
66 patients were allocated to standard neodymium magnets set in a steel backing cup, with the open side facing the ventral wrist, creating a fluctuating magnetic pattern across …
