Sport PerformanceNCT07288892
Effects of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy on Sport Performance and Recovery
A study testing Active Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy in people with Sport Performance and Sport Recovery, run by Nanyang Technological University at 1 site in Singapore.
Trial summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy works to improve sports performance and recovery in athletes. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does PEMF therapy enhance participants' performance during exercise? Does PEMF therapy enhance recovery in participants… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 30 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Sport Performance, Sport Recovery, Athlete
- What is being tested?
- Active Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 31 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSingapore
- Study dates
- 19 Jan 2026to 30 Jun 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 30 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Exercise at least twice a week in the past 3 months
- Perform resistance training 1-3 times per week in the past 3 months.
- Have competed in at least two matches / events in the past one year (e.g. heat and final are counted as two events).
Who cannot join
- History of fracture or surgery over the past year.
- History of musculoskeletal injury in the last 3 months that required more than 7 days of rest.
- Currently experiencing any injury, discomfort and/or pain at the time of study.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy works to improve sports performance and recovery in athletes. The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Does PEMF therapy enhance participants' performance during exercise?
- Does PEMF therapy enhance recovery in participants after exercise? Researchers will compare active PEMF therapy to sham PEMF therapy (using the same device for both, but without any electromagnetic fields) to see if active PEMF therapy is effective in improving sports performance and recovery.
Read more
Participants will:
- Receive active pulsed electromagnetic field therapy or sham pulsed electromagnetic field therapy twice a week for 8 weeks.
- Visit the laboratory at baseline, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks for sports performance and recovery assessments.
Read the detailed description
This is a prospective, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled superiority trial with two parallel groups and a 1:1 allocation ratio investigating the effects of PEMF therapy on athletes. Participants will be recruited from the Physical Education and Sports Science Department at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Researchers will monitor sports performance and recovery outcomes during baseline assessment and at the 8- and 12-week follow-ups after the start of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy. The PEMF therapy will last for 8 weeks, with the final assessment scheduled at week 12. The outcomes measured at 8 weeks will reflect the short-term effects, while the final time point may indicate the carry-over effects of PEMF therapy on athletes.
The PEMF therapy will be administered using a commercial device (QuantumTX Pte). The delivery of PEMF to the leg will not produce heat or cause any sensation, which allows the participants to be blinded to the treatment. Participants in the control group will receive sham exposure with the same PEMF device. Each leg will undergo either active PEMF therapy or sham PEMF therapy for 10 minutes per session, with the treatment administered twice weekly for 8 weeks, resulting in a total of 16 sessions. The PEMF device will be activated by the Radiofrequency Identification (RFID) card, which will be coded to deliver either the active or sham PEMF treatment. The PEMF therapy procedure will be as follows: The participant will be seated in a 90° position on a chair, and the entire quadriceps muscle will be placed within the solenoids of the PEMF device. When active, the device delivered uniform 1.2 mT, 50 Hz PEMFs to each quadriceps muscle for 10 minutes.
- Conditions
- Sport Performance, Sport Recovery, Athlete
- Being tested
- Active Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy, Sham Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy
- Keywords
- PEMF, Sport, Performance, Recovery, Exercise
- Medical subject headings
- Motor Activity
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Active Pulsed Electromagnetic Field TherapyDevice
The experimental group will receive active Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy twice weekly for 8 weeks, for a total of 16 sessions. Participants will sit comfortably in a chair with their legs placed inside the solenoid of the PEMF device. The active PEMF settings are 1.2 milliTesla (mT) at 50 Hertz (Hz). Each PEMF session will last 20 minutes, with 10 minutes of active PEMF exposure per leg.
Sham Pulsed Electromagnetic Field TherapyDevice
The control group will receive sham Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy twice weekly for 8 weeks, for a total of 16 sessions. Participants will sit comfortably in a chair with their legs placed inside the solenoid of the PEMF device. The sham PEMF settings are 0 milliTesla (mT) at 0 Hertz (Hz). Each PEMF session will last 20 minutes, with 10 minutes of sham PEMF exposure per leg.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Active PEMF Group | Experimental | The active PEMF group will receive 8 weeks of active pulsed electromagnetic field therapy. Receives: Device: Active Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy |
| Sham PEMF Group | Sham comparator | The sham PEMF group will receive 8 weeks of sham pulsed electromagnetic field therapy. Receives: Device: Sham Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Wingate anaerobic test rate of fatigue
The Wingate anaerobic test involves a 30-second all-out cycling effort performed while stationary. Participants pedal as fast as possible against a standardised resistance for 30 seconds. The percentage decline in power output is calculated from the peak power to the lowest power during the test. It measures how quickly an individual fatigues during intense anaerobic exercise and their capacity to sustain high power output.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks, and a 12-week follow-up
Blood lactate level
Finger-prick blood sampling for lactate levels will be performed at 4 time points (baseline and 5, 15, and 30 min after the Wingate anaerobic test).
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks, and a 12-week follow-up
Secondary outcomes (7)
Wingate anaerobic test peak power
The Wingate anaerobic test involves a 30-second all-out cycling effort performed at a stationary position. Participants will pedal as fast as possible against a standardised resistance for 30 seconds. The highest power output achieved during the 30-second Wingate anaerobic test will be recorded as the peak power in Watts.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks, and a 12-week follow-up
Wingate anaerobic test mean power
The Wingate anaerobic test involves a 30-second all-out cycling effort performed at a stationary position. Participants will pedal as fast as possible against a standardised resistance for 30 seconds. The average power output achieved during the 30-second Wingate anaerobic test will be recorded as the mean power in Watts.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks, and a 12-week follow-up
Skeletal muscle mass
Skeletal muscle mass in kilograms will be assessed using the InBody Body Composition Analyser while standing. Skeletal muscle mass specifically relates to muscles that can grow through training.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks, and a 12-week follow-up
Muscle stiffness
Muscle stiffness of the vastus lateralis will be assessed using the MyotonPRO Digital Palpation Device at rest.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks, and a 12-week follow-up
Muscle oxygen saturation
Muscle oxygen saturation of the vastus lateralis will be measured using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) before, during, and after the Wingate anaerobic test.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks, and a 12-week follow-up
Muscle activity
Muscle activity of the vastus lateralis will be recorded using surface electromyography (EMG) during the Wingate anaerobic test.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks, and a 12-week follow-up
Strength
Strength will be measured using the isometric mid-thigh pull test. Participants will pull against a fixed metal chain while standing on the back extension dynamometer platform. The dynamometer will record the maximum force exerted.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks, and a 12-week follow-up
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted17 Dec 2025
- Study start19 Jan 2026
- Primary completion30 Jun 2026
- Study completion30 Jun 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Sport PerformanceStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Quadruple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 31 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Nanyang Technological University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- QuantumTX Pte Ltd
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Kong Pui Wah, Nanyang Technological University
- Investigators
- Pui Wah KONG, PhD, Principal investigator, Nanyang Technological University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07288892
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRB-2025-575
- Status last verified
- Nov 2026
- First submitted
- 16 Nov 2025
- Last updated
- 3 Nov 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Individual participant data will be shared upon reasonable requests.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 3 Nov 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy on Sport Performance and Recovery
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07288892
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IRB-2025-575
- Conditions
- Sport Performance, Sport Recovery, Athlete
- Keywords
- PEMF, Sport, Performance, Recovery, Exercise
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 31 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Nanyang Technological UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- QuantumTX Pte Ltd
- Study start
- 19 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Jun 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Jun 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 17 Dec 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy works to improve sports performance and recovery in athletes. The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Does PEMF therapy enhance participants' performance during exercise?
- Does PEMF therapy enhance recovery in participants after exercise? Researchers will compare active PEMF therapy to sham PEMF therapy (using the same device for both, but without any electromagnetic fields) to see if active PEMF therapy is effective in improving sports performance and recovery.
Participants will:
- Receive active pulsed electromagnetic field therapy or sham pulsed electromagnetic field therapy twice a week for 8 weeks.
- Visit the laboratory at baseline, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks for sports performance and recovery assessments.
Detailed description
This is a prospective, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled superiority trial with two parallel groups and a 1:1 allocation ratio investigating the effects of PEMF therapy on athletes. Participants will be recruited from the Physical Education and Sports Science Department at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Researchers will monitor sports performance and recovery outcomes during baseline assessment and at the 8- and 12-week follow-ups after the start of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy. The PEMF therapy will last for 8 weeks, with the final assessment scheduled at week 12. The outcomes measured at 8 weeks will reflect the short-term effects, while the final time point may indicate the carry-over effects of PEMF therapy on athletes.
The PEMF therapy will be administered using a commercial device (QuantumTX Pte). The delivery of PEMF to the leg will not produce heat or cause any sensation, which allows the participants to be blinded to the treatment. Participants in the control group will receive sham exposure with the same PEMF device. Each leg will undergo either active PEMF therapy or sham PEMF therapy for 10 minutes per session, with the treatment administered twice weekly for 8 weeks, resulting in a total of 16 sessions. The PEMF device will be activated by the Radiofrequency Identification (RFID) card, which will be coded to deliver either the active or sham PEMF treatment. The PEMF therapy procedure will be as follows: The participant will be seated in a 90° position on a chair, and the entire quadriceps muscle will be placed within the solenoids of the PEMF device. When active, the device delivered uniform 1.2 mT, 50 Hz PEMFs to each quadriceps muscle for 10 minutes.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Quadruple blind (participant, care provider, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Active PEMF Group | Experimental | Device: Active Pulsed Electromagnetic Field TherapyThe active PEMF group will receive 8 weeks of active pulsed electromagnetic field therapy. |
| Sham PEMF Group | Sham comparator | Device: Sham Pulsed Electromagnetic Field TherapyThe sham PEMF group will receive 8 weeks of sham pulsed electromagnetic field therapy. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 30 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Exercise at least twice a week in the past 3 months
- Perform resistance training 1-3 times per week in the past 3 months.
- Have competed in at least two matches / events in the past one year (e.g. heat and final are counted as two events).
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- History of fracture or surgery over the past year.
- History of musculoskeletal injury in the last 3 months that required more than 7 days of rest.
- Currently experiencing any injury, discomfort and/or pain at the time of study.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Active Pulsed Electromagnetic Field TherapyThe experimental group will receive active Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy twice weekly for 8 weeks, for a total of 16 sessions. Participants will sit comfortably in a chair with their legs placed inside the solenoid of the PEMF device. The active PEMF settings are 1.2 milliTesla (mT) at 50 Hertz (Hz). Each PEMF session will last 20 minutes, with 10 minutes of active PEMF exposure per leg. | Device | Active PEMF Group |
| Sham Pulsed Electromagnetic Field TherapyThe control group will receive sham Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy twice weekly for 8 weeks, for a total of 16 sessions. Participants will sit comfortably in a chair with their legs placed inside the solenoid of the PEMF device. The sham PEMF settings are 0 milliTesla (mT) at 0 Hertz (Hz). Each PEMF session will last 20 minutes, with 10 minutes of sham PEMF exposure per leg. | Device | Sham PEMF Group |
Primary outcome
Wingate anaerobic test rate of fatigue
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks, and a 12-week follow-up
The Wingate anaerobic test involves a 30-second all-out cycling effort performed while stationary. Participants pedal as fast as possible against a standardised resistance for 30 seconds. The percentage decline in power output is calculated from the peak power to the lowest power during the test. It measures how quickly an individual fatigues during intense anaerobic exercise and their capacity to sustain high power output.
Blood lactate level
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks, and a 12-week follow-up
Finger-prick blood sampling for lactate levels will be performed at 4 time points (baseline and 5, 15, and 30 min after the Wingate anaerobic test).
7 secondary outcomes
Wingate anaerobic test peak power
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks, and a 12-week follow-up
Wingate anaerobic test mean power
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks, and a 12-week follow-up
Skeletal muscle mass
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks, and a 12-week follow-up
Muscle stiffness
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks, and a 12-week follow-up
Muscle oxygen saturation
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks, and a 12-week follow-up
Muscle activity
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks, and a 12-week follow-up
Strength
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks, and a 12-week follow-up
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 3 Nov 2026.
- Pulsed Electromagnetic Field TherapyLink provided by the sponsor.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Individual participant data will be shared upon reasonable requests.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Pui Wah KONG, PhD principal investigator
Nanyang Technological University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Active Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy in people with Sport Performance and Sport Recovery, run by Nanyang Technological University at 1 site in Singapore.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 3 Nov 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Singapore. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Wingate anaerobic test rate of fatigue (time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks, and a 12-week follow-up). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 3 Nov 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 7 Nov 2026.