Effects of Electrical Physical Stimuli on Articular Cartilage

Inflammation in a joint following surgery represents a potentially harmful event for the articular cartilage, which ultimately may jeopardize the positive effects expected from the surgery. Our working hypothesis has been that the anti-inflammatory and anabolic effects of pulsed electromagnetic fields demonstrated in preclinical studies could be translated into useful treatment for patients who have undergone arthroscopic surgery, allowing early effective control of inflammation, protecting the articular cartilage from degeneration, and providing an earlier return to daily activity. The CRES study group has thus provided the scientific background and has demonstrated the therapeutic value of pulsed electromagnetic fields for the control of inflammatory processes and ultimately for cartilage protection. The effect is limited to the area where the magnetic field is present, but the entire knee joint can be treated. The rationale for the use of I-ONE therapy lies in the following observations: cartilage slowly degenerates during life and, every time that articular cartilage is exposed to an injury, catabolic consequences are triggered that may impair cartilage competence and integrity with different levels of severity. Unlike bone function, cartilage function does not return to its antecedent initial competence once the damaging event has resolved. Cartilage will continue to degenerate. Thus, all means to limit the duration and intensity of events that can damage the cartilage are of paramount importance. The work that has been done in the last seven years has provided the scientific background and allowed us to develop a rational basis for the use of I-ONE therapy to protect articular cartilage; it has also demonstrated that the treatment can be effective, is well accepted by the patients, and is without side effects.