Fatigue RecoveryBEMER-sportNCT07299669
Effects of BEMER Electromagnetic Field Intervention on Sleep, Readiness to Play and Injuries in Elite Athletes
A study testing BEMER electromagnetic-energy-regulation therapy in people with Fatigue Recovery, run by University of Bergen at 2 sites in Norway.
Trial summary
Elite athletes (female football players) will be randomized to 1 of 2 conditions, comprising a BEMER electromagnet field mattress and a sham-mattress. The mattress is to be used in bed for 8 minutes each morning, and for 8 minutes each evening, for 10 weeks. The system has 3 intensity levels - low, medium, and high. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older, women onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Fatigue Recovery
- What is being tested?
- BEMER electromagnetic-energy-regulation therapy
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesNorway
- Study dates
- 18 Jan 2025to 15 Oct 2025
- 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 years and older
- Women only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Minimum 18 years of age
- Female elite football player in Norway
- Playing on team willing to part-take in the study
Who cannot join
- None
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: The Effect of Bio-electromagnetic-energy-regulation Therapy (BEMER) on Sleep, Readiness to Play and Injuries in Elite Athletes - a Triple Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial
Elite athletes (female football players) will be randomized to 1 of 2 conditions, comprising a BEMER electromagnet field mattress and a sham-mattress. The mattress is to be used in bed for 8 minutes each morning, and for 8 minutes each evening, for 10 weeks. The system has 3 intensity levels - low, medium, and high. The low level will be used for the 4 first weeks, the medium level for the following 2 weeks, and the high level for the last 4 weeks. Those in the sham conditions have a display and mattress looking identical, and follow the same procedure as those in BEMER electromagnet field mattress condition. The primary outcome comprises total sleep time and sleep efficacy assessed with a sleep radar as well as readiness to play (composite measure of daily self-report of fatigue, sleep quality, muscle soreness, stress and mood). Secondary outcomes comprise duration of deep sleep also assessed with the sleep radar, injury severity, and rate of perceived exertion following training and matches. Baseline registrations are conducted for 4 weeks prior to the intervention and outcomes are registered during the last 4 weeks of the intervention.
Read the detailed description
Contrary to common assumptions, athletes often experience insufficient sleep, particularly in the context of competitive events. Furthermore, a significant proportion of athletes report poor sleep quality, potentially linked to frequent travel, intense training, suboptimal training times and inadequate caloric intake. Female athletes are especially susceptible, facing additional challenges such as role conflicts, gender discrimination, body image concerns, increased risk of eating disturbances, and negative impact from menstruation, all of which may hinder restitution. A promising intervention to enhance and facilitate restitution involves the use of low frequency pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy, which has demonstrated the potential to increase blood flow, particularly in micro vessels, and is as such assumed to increase micro-circulation, among other in the skeleton muscles. The effectiveness of PEMF therapy in athletes has so far not been investigated using a randomized controlled design.
In this study, a triple blind (participants, researchers and statistician) randomized controlled trial will be undertaken, with female athletes (N=60) from national (Norway) football teams being randomly designed to receive either a placebo mattress or a PEMF-mattress based on a 1:1 ratio, using stratified randomization by team. During a baseline assessment period of 4 weeks, 3 primary outcomes (radar assessed total sleep time and sleep efficiency), and readiness to play (composite measure of daily self-report of fatigue, sleep quality, muscle soreness, stress and mood) will be recorded at a daily basis. These 3 outcomes will be analyzed also specifically for the day/night following matches (as secondary outcomes). Other secondary outcomes comprise the amount (duration) of slow wave sleep/deep, assessed with the sleep radar technology, the severity of injuries, and the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) following training and matches.
The participants (N=60) will following the 4-week baseline registration commence a 10 week intervention phase involving daily use of the mattress for 2 (morning and evening) x 8 minutes. The system has 3 levels of PEMF-intensity (low, medium, high). The first four weeks the low intensity will be used, the next two the medium intensity will be used, thereafter (last four weeks) the high intensity will be used. This intervention period will be accompanied by reassessment of the primary and secondary outcomes during the last 4 weeks of the 10-week intervention period.
- Conditions
- Fatigue Recovery
- Being tested
- BEMER electromagnetic-energy-regulation therapy, Sham (No Treatment)
- Keywords
- BEMER, Athletes, Recovery, Sleep, Injury, Readiness to play, Rate of perceived exertion
- Medical subject headings
- Wounds and Injuries
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
BEMER electromagnetic-energy-regulation therapyDevice
Also called BEMER
The BEMER is bio-electric-magnetics-energy-regulation therapy uses a specific waveform of pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) to improve microcirculation by 30%. In the present study the bio-electric-magnetics-energy-regulation therapy will be provided through mattresses
Sham (No Treatment)Device
Sham mattress with no electromagnetic output
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| BEMER electromagnetic-energy-regulation therapy | Experimental | BEMER electromagnetic mattress; week 1-4 at low lever, week 5-6 medium level and week 7-10 high level Receives: Device: BEMER electromagnetic-energy-regulation therapy |
| Sham-mattress | Sham comparator | Mattress and interface panel similar to the experimental intervention, but without any electromagnetic output signals Receives: Device: Sham (No Treatment) |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Total sleep time
Total sleep time in the main sleep episode assessed with the sleep radar Somnofy, expressed as minutes per day. High total sleep time is regarded as a more positive outcome than a lower total sleep time.
Measured: Change from baseline (4 weeks before interventions) to the last 4 weeks of the intervention.
Sleep efficiency
Percentage of time in bed following shut-eye (lights out) to rising from bed where the participant did sleep - assessed with the sleep radar Somnofy during the main sleep period. The measure comprises the percentage of time being asleep, and higher values (percentage) are regarded as a better outcome than lower values (percentage).
Measured: Change from baseline (4 weeks before intervention) to the last 4 weeks of the intervention
Readiness to play
Daily morning self-report on an adapted version of the Hooper Index (Hooper, Mackinnon, Howard, Gordon, \& Bachmann, 1995), comprising four items assessing fatigue, sleep quality, muscle soreness, and stress. Each item is rated on a 7-point scale ranging from 1 to 7 (where 7 is the worst state and 1 is the best state). A composite daily score ranging from 4 to 28 is calculated - lower scores are associated with the best outcomes.
Measured: Change from baseline (4 weeks before intervention) to the last 4 weeks of the intervention
Secondary outcomes (6)
Total sleep time the day following matches
Total sleep time in the main sleep episode assessed with the sleep radar Somnofy the day following matches, expressed as minutes per day. High total sleep time is regarded as a more positive outcome than a lower total sleep time.
Measured: Change from baseline (4 weeks before interventions) to the last 4 weeks of the intervention exclusively on the nights after matches.
Sleep efficiency the day following matches
Percentage of time in bed following shut-eye (lights out) to rising from bed where the participant did sleep assessed with the sleep radar Somnofy during the main sleep period - the day following matches. The measure comprises the percentage of time being asleep, and higher values (percentage) are regarded as a better outcome than lower values (percentage).
Measured: Change from baseline (4 weeks before intervention) to the last 4 weeks of the intervention exclusively the night following matches.
Readiness to play the day after matches
Daily morning self-report on an adapted version of the Hooper Index (Hooper, Mackinnon, Howard, Gordon, \& Bachmann, 1995), comprising four items assessing fatigue, sleep quality, muscle soreness, and stress. Each item is rated on a 7-point scale ranging from 1 to 7 (where 7 is the worst state and 1 is the best state). A composite daily score ranging from 4 to 28 is calculated - lower scores are associated with the best outcomes.
Measured: Change from baseline (4 weeks before intervention) to the last 4 weeks of the intervention, exclusively on the day after matches.
Deep sleep duration
Deep sleep duration assessed with the sleep radar Somnofy during the main sleep period, expressed in minutes. Higher values are regarded as better outcomes than lower values
Measured: Change from baseline (4 weeks before intervention) to the last 4 weeks of the intervention
Health problems
Health problems are assessed with the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Questionnaire on Health Problems-2. The questionnaire has four items (degree of health problem impact on: 1) participation in training, 2) modification of training, 3) performance, and 4) pain). All items have four response alternatives and each is scored 0-8-17-25. A composite score ranging from 0-100 is calculated - higher numbers reflect higher health problem severity. The instrument will be administered once per week.
Measured: Change from baseline (4 weeks before interventions) to the last 4 weeks of the intervention.
Rate of perceived exertion
Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) following training and matches as measured by a single item based on the Borg CR-10 scale (Borg, 1990). The response alternatives ranges from 0 (no exertion) to 10 (maximal exertion). Lower values are regarded as better outcomes than higher values.
Measured: Change from baseline (4 weeks before interventions) to the last 4 weeks of the intervention.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted23 Dec 2025
- Study start18 Jan 2025
- Primary completion15 Oct 2025
- Study completion15 Oct 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Fatigue RecoveryStudies 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
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- The two arms/conditions involves an electromagnetic mattress and an sham-mattress
- Masking
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Bergen
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Ståle Pallesen, University of Bergen
- Investigators
- Ståle Pallesen, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Bergen
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07299669
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- BeSCN 25/1
- Acronym
- BEMER-sport
- Status last verified
- Nov 2025
- First submitted
- 26 Nov 2025
- Last updated
- 6 Jan 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Complete dataset
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 6 Jan 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effect of Bio-electromagnetic-energy-regulation Therapy (BEMER) on Sleep, Readiness to Play and Injuries in Elite Athletes - a Triple Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07299669
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- BEMER-sport / BeSCN 25/1
- Conditions
- Fatigue Recovery
- Keywords
- BEMER, Athletes, Recovery, Sleep, Injury, Readiness to play, Rate of perceived exertion
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of BergenUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
- Study start
- 18 Jan 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Oct 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 15 Oct 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 23 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.
Elite athletes (female football players) will be randomized to 1 of 2 conditions, comprising a BEMER electromagnet field mattress and a sham-mattress. The mattress is to be used in bed for 8 minutes each morning, and for 8 minutes each evening, for 10 weeks. The system has 3 intensity levels - low, medium, and high. The low level will be used for the 4 first weeks, the medium level for the following 2 weeks, and the high level for the last 4 weeks. Those in the sham conditions have a display and mattress looking identical, and follow the same procedure as those in BEMER electromagnet field mattress condition. The primary outcome comprises total sleep time and sleep efficacy assessed with a sleep radar as well as readiness to play (composite measure of daily self-report of fatigue, sleep quality, muscle soreness, stress and mood). Secondary outcomes comprise duration of deep sleep also assessed with the sleep radar, injury severity, and rate of perceived exertion following training and matches. Baseline registrations are conducted for 4 weeks prior to the intervention and outcomes are registered during the last 4 weeks of the intervention.
Detailed description
Contrary to common assumptions, athletes often experience insufficient sleep, particularly in the context of competitive events. Furthermore, a significant proportion of athletes report poor sleep quality, potentially linked to frequent travel, intense training, suboptimal training times and inadequate caloric intake. Female athletes are especially susceptible, facing additional challenges such as role conflicts, gender discrimination, body image concerns, increased risk of eating disturbances, and negative impact from menstruation, all of which may hinder restitution. A promising intervention to enhance and facilitate restitution involves the use of low frequency pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy, which has demonstrated the potential to increase blood flow, particularly in micro vessels, and is as such assumed to increase micro-circulation, among other in the skeleton muscles. The effectiveness of PEMF therapy in athletes has so far not been investigated using a randomized controlled design.
In this study, a triple blind (participants, researchers and statistician) randomized controlled trial will be undertaken, with female athletes (N=60) from national (Norway) football teams being randomly designed to receive either a placebo mattress or a PEMF-mattress based on a 1:1 ratio, using stratified randomization by team. During a baseline assessment period of 4 weeks, 3 primary outcomes (radar assessed total sleep time and sleep efficiency), and readiness to play (composite measure of daily self-report of fatigue, sleep quality, muscle soreness, stress and mood) will be recorded at a daily basis. These 3 outcomes will be analyzed also specifically for the day/night following matches (as secondary outcomes). Other secondary outcomes comprise the amount (duration) of slow wave sleep/deep, assessed with the sleep radar technology, the severity of injuries, and the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) following training and matches.
The participants (N=60) will following the 4-week baseline registration commence a 10 week intervention phase involving daily use of the mattress for 2 (morning and evening) x 8 minutes. The system has 3 levels of PEMF-intensity (low, medium, high). The first four weeks the low intensity will be used, the next two the medium intensity will be used, thereafter (last four weeks) the high intensity will be used. This intervention period will be accompanied by reassessment of the primary and secondary outcomes during the last 4 weeks of the 10-week intervention period.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind (participant, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- The two arms/conditions involves an electromagnetic mattress and an sham-mattress
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| BEMER electromagnetic-energy-regulation therapy | Experimental | Device: BEMER electromagnetic-energy-regulation therapyBEMER electromagnetic mattress; week 1-4 at low lever, week 5-6 medium level and week 7-10 high level |
| Sham-mattress | Sham comparator | Device: Sham (No Treatment)Mattress and interface panel similar to the experimental intervention, but without any electromagnetic output signals |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Minimum 18 years of age
- Female elite football player in Norway
- Playing on team willing to part-take in the study
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- None
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 |
|---|---|---|
| BEMER electromagnetic-energy-regulation therapyAlso: BEMERThe BEMER is bio-electric-magnetics-energy-regulation therapy uses a specific waveform of pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) to improve microcirculation by 30%. In the present study the bio-electric-magnetics-energy-regulation therapy will be provided through mattresses | Device | BEMER electromagnetic-energy-regulation therapy |
| Sham (No Treatment)Sham mattress with no electromagnetic output | Device | Sham-mattress |
Primary outcome
Total sleep time
Time frame: Change from baseline (4 weeks before interventions) to the last 4 weeks of the intervention.
Total sleep time in the main sleep episode assessed with the sleep radar Somnofy, expressed as minutes per day. High total sleep time is regarded as a more positive outcome than a lower total sleep time.
Sleep efficiency
Time frame: Change from baseline (4 weeks before intervention) to the last 4 weeks of the intervention
Percentage of time in bed following shut-eye (lights out) to rising from bed where the participant did sleep - assessed with the sleep radar Somnofy during the main sleep period. The measure comprises the percentage of time being asleep, and higher values (percentage) are regarded as a better outcome than lower values (percentage).
Readiness to play
Time frame: Change from baseline (4 weeks before intervention) to the last 4 weeks of the intervention
Daily morning self-report on an adapted version of the Hooper Index (Hooper, Mackinnon, Howard, Gordon, \& Bachmann, 1995), comprising four items assessing fatigue, sleep quality, muscle soreness, and stress. Each item is rated on a 7-point scale ranging from 1 to 7 (where 7 is the worst state and 1 is the best state). A composite daily score ranging from 4 to 28 is calculated - lower scores are associated with the best outcomes.
6 secondary outcomes
Total sleep time the day following matches
Time frame: Change from baseline (4 weeks before interventions) to the last 4 weeks of the intervention exclusively on the nights after matches.
Sleep efficiency the day following matches
Time frame: Change from baseline (4 weeks before intervention) to the last 4 weeks of the intervention exclusively the night following matches.
Readiness to play the day after matches
Time frame: Change from baseline (4 weeks before intervention) to the last 4 weeks of the intervention, exclusively on the day after matches.
Deep sleep duration
Time frame: Change from baseline (4 weeks before intervention) to the last 4 weeks of the intervention
Health problems
Time frame: Change from baseline (4 weeks before interventions) to the last 4 weeks of the intervention.
Rate of perceived exertion
Time frame: Change from baseline (4 weeks before interventions) to the last 4 weeks of the intervention.
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 6 Jan 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Complete dataset
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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.
Ståle Pallesen, PhD principal investigator
University of Bergen
2 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing BEMER electromagnetic-energy-regulation therapy in people with Fatigue Recovery, run by University of Bergen at 2 sites in Norway.
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 1 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 6 Jan 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 2 sites in Norway. 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?
Total sleep time (time frame: Change from baseline (4 weeks before interventions) to the last 4 weeks of the intervention.). The study lists 3 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 6 Jan 2026.