If you go on www.pubmed.gov you can read multiple FDA approved studies on PEMF. The machine I use, BEMER, has 7 FDA approved double-blind and placebo controlled studies on file in the USA, and many more studies published and approved by the EU (most are in German, though, which I don’t read/speak)… It’s been around more than 20 years and the human unit is currently in regular use in over 4,000 clinics and hospitals in Europe, though it is only currently marketed as an FDA Class 2 medical device in the US and still gaining steam with doctors and therapists in the USA.
You can also watch effects of the BEMER signal during a PEMF session on youtube. One video shows both the effects of the signal on abdominal microciruculation and vasomotion, and another on liver function - both videos were filmed using a $26 million microscope that recorded the effects in real-time.
Also, the BEMER PEMF signal was purchased two years ago by NASA and is now being built into space suits for our astronauts to prevent blood clots and joint degeneration that is a common problem when people are in space for extended periods. At the same time, the Department of Defense purchased the technology from BEMER for utilization in the helmets of soldiers - first for special operations soldiers, and later for all branches of the armed services. It was found that an 8 minute PEMF session had the following benefits for soldiers: better stamina, faster recovery time, clearer thinking/faster reaction times, stress reduction, and lowered PTSD rates. If these benefits were proven for our soldiers and the DOD was willing to spend millions of dollars to purchase the rights to use the BEMER technology, I think it’s safe to say that we will see the same signal show benefits in our animals.
Personally, PEMF gave me my life back. Over a decade ago, I got bucked off badly. I collapsed 4 discs and had significant nerve damage in my back, along with a concussion (Split my helmet in half), two cracked ribs with damaged cartilage, a torn right groin muscle, and a bruised kidney. I recovered eventually, but was never the same. I went from being an olympic level athlete (discus and weight lifting) and riding 4-6 horses a week, to being a couch potato for close to a year. I was never the same, and my back pain was so severe that even with ongoing medication and therapy, I often hurt so badly that I couldn’t walk some days and I could only ride my horses at the walk and occasionally at the trot. Two years ago I started PEMF therapy and after 6 weeks of intense therapy (3-4 days a week), I was pain and medication free. I now ride 2-6 horses per day, I’m competing again, and I run several 5k races per year.
Ultimately, though, I love doing PEMF on animals. They have no placebo effect. Either they improve, or they don’t. I have one horse who sees me regularly - he’s 34 years old. He had a pelvic fracture after a fall, along with a haematoma on his right hip and spinal swelling… The owner and his vet wanted me to try working on him before they euthanized him “just in case”. He showed improvement immediately (within 30 minutes) and with the reduction of spinal swelling was able to stand, That was 6 months ago and he’s happily back to enjoying his retirement. A canine I work on with “Old Dog Syndrome” (generally considered the canine equivalent of Parkinsons) who had a level 5 heart murmur and neurological deficits saw me 2x a week for 5 weeks, had a vet appointment, and the vet who had been treating him for 3 years couldn’t find his heart murmur. He was referred back to his cardiologist who had done an MRI a year before, and sure enough, the murmur was gone! His bloodwork also came back “clean” and he no longer shakes or bumps into things. I have several doctors (two anesthesiologists, an OBGYN, and a surgeon) who employ me to work on their animals (and themselves). IMO, the science and the evidence are overwhelmingly in favor of PEMF being a quality therapy to consider not only as a rehab and recovery modality, but also as a performance enhancement.
FYI I don’t ONLY do PEMF with BEMER. I am also certified to do K-Tape, and I offer Equi-Vibe plate services, and I’m currently working towards being certified in equine massage. I don’t think PEMF can fix everything, which is why I offer supporting therapies along with it. It’s not a “magic bullet”. But it is a GREAT tool and a pillar of non-invasive, drug-free therapy.
