Skip to Content
Uncategorized

Magnetic Insoles as Placebos

Magnetic medical devices are a $5 billion/year worldwide industry–an estimated $500 million/year in the United States alone–yet there’s little to no evidence that they work to relieve pain. Here’s more evidence that they don’t: “Magnetic shoe insoles did not effectively…
September 26, 2005

Magnetic medical devices are a $5 billion/year worldwide industry–an estimated $500 million/year in the United States alone–yet there’s little to no evidence that they work to relieve pain. Here’s more evidence that they don’t: “Magnetic shoe insoles did not effectively relieve foot pain among patients in a study, researchers report in the current issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.” Kudos to the doctors for publishing their negative results, even though the study’s materials were provided by Spenco Medical Corp., a company that makes magnetic medical devices. (Think the company will mention the study in their advertising?)

What’s interesting, though, is that the magnetic insoles provided relief to patients who believed they would: “…the results indicate that patients who strongly believed in magnets had pain relief even if they were given false magnets to wear.” More evidence that the placeo effect can provide real, positive, physical benefits if you only believe a medical treatment works.

I’ve had a long-standing problem with one of my ankles, and even though I don’t believe in magnetic therapy, I will admit that in my search for relief I spent $40 on a wrap-around sleeve that contains about six magnets that appear to be little more than kitchen magnets. It didn’t work. Yes, I should have listened to my rational side–or been more gullible.

Keep Reading

Most Popular

Geoffrey Hinton tells us why he’s now scared of the tech he helped build

“I have suddenly switched my views on whether these things are going to be more intelligent than us.”

Deep learning pioneer Geoffrey Hinton has quit Google

Hinton will be speaking at EmTech Digital on Wednesday.

Video: Geoffrey Hinton talks about the “existential threat” of AI

Watch Hinton speak with Will Douglas Heaven, MIT Technology Review’s senior editor for AI, at EmTech Digital.

Doctors have performed brain surgery on a fetus in one of the first operations of its kind

A baby girl who developed a life-threatening brain condition was successfully treated before she was born—and is now a healthy seven-week-old.

Stay connected

Illustration by Rose Wong

Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review

Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.

Thank you for submitting your email!

Explore more newsletters

It looks like something went wrong.

We’re having trouble saving your preferences. Try refreshing this page and updating them one more time. If you continue to get this message, reach out to us at customer-service@technologyreview.com with a list of newsletters you’d like to receive.