Effects of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy on Meniscal Healing, Symptom Relief, and Knee Fun… (NCT07117929) | Clinical Trial Compass
Not Yet RecruitingNot Applicable
Effects of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy on Meniscal Healing, Symptom Relief, and Knee Function
Hong Kong40 participantsStarted 2025-08-15
Plain-language summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) combined with home exercise improves healing and function in adults with meniscus tears. The main questions it aims to answer are:
1. Does PEMF therapy help heal meniscus tears, as seen on MRI scans?
2. Does PEMF therapy subjectively reduce knee pain, improve movement, and enhance quality of life?
3. Does PEMF therapy objectively help patients perform daily activities more easily?
Researchers will compare PEMF therapy against a sham (inactive) treatment to determine if it provides additional benefits.
Participants will:
* Be assigned randomly to either the PEMF group (active treatment) or the sham PEMF group (inactive, but identical in appearance)
* Receive either real PEMF therapy or sham treatment twice a week for 8 weeks (each session lasts 10 minutes).
* Follow a standard home exercise program to strengthen their knees.
* Have their knee function, pain levels, and healing progress checked through MRI scans, questionnaires, imaging and physical tests.
* Return for 3 follow-up visits after the 8-week treatment period.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years – 60 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* Male and female patients aged 18-60
* Clinical history, signs, and symptoms indicative of a meniscal tear
* MRI confirmation of a non-displaced, and unilateral meniscal tear
* Meniscal tears located within red-white and white-white zones
* Willingness to adhere to a 8-week regimen of PEMF and exercise therapy
* Ability to provide written informed consent
Exclusion Criteria:
* Congenital discoid meniscus confirmed by MRI
* Complex, oblique, flap, or displaced bucket handle tears confirmed by MRI
* Meniscal root tears confirmed by MRI
* Evidence of partial healing on baseline MRI
* Presence of mechanical symptoms (e.g., locking or catching)
* Acute onset exacerbation of knee symptoms (e.g., severe pain or swelling)
* Surgical intervention during the therapy session
* Knee axis deformities that necessitate surgical correction
* Prior surgery or fracture in the affected limb within the past 12 months
* Severe radiographic knee OA (Kellgren-Lawrence scale ≥2)
* Implanted electronic medical devices (e.g., pacemakers or cochlear implants) • Current pregnancy or intention to become pregnant during the study period
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Between-group difference in mean change of intrameniscal fluid-equivalent signal area at 6 months post-intervention, as assessed by MRI.