Do copper bracelets and magnets really ease arthritis pains?
We often see people walking around with copper bracelets on their wrist. The bracelets are supposed to ease muscle aches and arthritis pains – but do they actually work?Apparently, they are no better than a placebo, or sugar pill – and nor are magnetic wrist straps, which are also worn to ease musculoskeletal pains, a new study has discovered.
The devices were tested on 45 osteoarthritis sufferers, but the researchers couldn’t detect any real difference between them, or when measured against a ‘dummy’ magnetic strap, or non-copper bracelet.
(Source: Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2009; doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2009.07.002).
