Effects of Acute Low-Frequency Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy on Aerobic Performance during a Preseason Training Camp: A Pilot Study.

Nauris Tamulevicius,Jung-Jung Tien,Ashmeet S Anand,Guillermo R Oviedo,Tanuj Wadhi,Fraser Houston,Eric Vlahov

doi:10.3390/ijerph18147691

Abstract

Bio-electromagnetic-energy-regulation (BEMER) therapy is a technology using a low-frequency pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) in a biorhythmic format. BEMER has been shown to optimize recovery and decrease fatigue by increasing blood flow in microvessels. Our aim was to determine its effects during preseason training in endurance athletes. A total of 14 male cross-country runners (19.07 ± 0.92 y.o.) were placed in either the intervention (PEMF; n = 8) or control (CON; n = 6) group using a covariate-based, constrained randomization. Participants completed six running sessions at altitudes ranging from 881.83 (±135.98 m) to 1027.0 (±223.44 m) above sea level. PEMF group used BEMER therapy before and after each training session, totaling 12 times. There were no significant changes in absolute or relative VO2Peak, ventilation or maximum respiration rate for either the PEMF or CON group (p > 0.05). There was a significant effect of time for absolute and relative ventilatory threshold (VT), and maximum heart rate, heart rate at VT and respiration rate at VT. This study was the first of its kind to study PEMF technology in combination with elevated preseason training. Results indicate some evidence for the use of PEMF therapy during short-term training camps to improve VT.

Highlights

Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) treatment has been used for therapeutic purposes for almost half a century [1]
There was a significant effect of time for both VTAbs (p = 0.009) and VTRel (p ≤ 0.001)
For PEMF, VTAbs changed significantly from pretesting to post-testing (p = 0.001), but CON showed a nonsignificant trend towards difference (p = 0.061)

Summary

Introduction

Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) treatment has been used for therapeutic purposes for almost half a century [1]. PEMF was found to be effective for (1) pain management and edema after soft-tissue injury, (2) osteoarthritisrelated injuries, (3) repairing ligaments and tendons, (4) wound [3,4,5,6] and bone fracture healing [7,8,9], (5) reducing subjective soreness [10,11], and (6) promotion of regeneration of nerves [4,12,13,14,15] These devices are primarily advertised and distributed over the internet and are often used without medical supervision.

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