Health Sciences

University | A to Z | Departments

• 
• Health Sciences
• Research
• Health Services and Policy
• Our research
• CMEG Projects
• MACROPOD

• Department home
• News and events
• Undergraduate study (Nursing and Midwifery)
• Nursing Associate (Foundation Degree) (apprenticeship)
• Apprenticeships
• Specialist Skills & Post Reg Development (CPD)
• Postgraduate study
• PhD/MPhil
• Research
  • Research Overview
  • Cardiac Care and Education
  • Epidemiology and Cancer Statistics
  • Health Services and Policy
    • News
    • Our staff
    • Our research
  • Mental Health and Addiction
  • Public Health and Society
  • Trials and Statistics
  • Nursing and midwifery research
• Our staff
• Practice Support for Supervisors, Assessors and Students
• Living and studying in York
• Information for current students
• Information for staff
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
• Patient and public involvement
• Service User & Carer Involvement (SUCI)
• Alumni
• PCMIS
• Current vacancies
• Contact us

Magnetic Therapy for Arthritis

The MACROPOD Trial

Magnetic and copper bracelets for osteoarthritis: a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial. 

In this study, 45 patients all wore in a random sequence: a strong magnetic wrist strap, a demagnetised wrist strap, a weak magnetic wrist strap and a copper bracelet for a period of 4 weeks per device with no wash out period, i.e. patients went from wearing one device straight to wearing another. The results found that there was no significant difference between devices in the treatment of pain, stiffness, physical function and medication use. The conclusion was that both magnetic and copper bracelets are ineffective treatment options for osteoarthritis.