Alternating Polarity Concentric Rings
These flexible rubber magnets of alternating polarity rings are available to purchase on theĀ Q Magnets website here.
Bioflex are a real innovator in the field of magnet therapy. In 1984 Horst Baermann first patented the concentric rings of alternating polarities in a flexible rubber magnet material as illustrated below.

Being made of flexible rubber magnetic material, the magnets are relatively weak and unlike Q Magnets which are made from extremely powerful Neodymium magnets, do not penetrate very far into the body. However, they cover a much larger area with their alternating poles and may be even better than Q Magnets where the target of pain therapy is more superficial, such as in the case of:
- Trigger point therapy
- Acupuncture point stimulation
- Inner soles for the feet
- Superficial nerves and blood vessels
- Wrist pain
The flexible rubber magnets can be seen here through the view of a magnetic field viewer.

SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE FOR MAGNETS WITH ALTERNATING POLE RINGS:The clinical trials investigating the application of Bioflex magnets are some of the most favourable in all of the research using static magnets. But it needs to be put into context, the research on flexible rubber magnets for conditions such as lower back painĀ did notĀ show a benefit over placebo. This is because for a static magnet to be effective over the lower back area, it requires a much more powerful magnet with a deeper penetration, such as Q Magnets. See howĀ Q Magnets work for lower back pain here.
CLINICAL TRIAL #1:Ā MAGNETSĀ TO TREAT TRIGGER POINT PAIN.
Vallbona et al. (1997)Ā studied 50 patients diagnosed with post-polio syndrome who reported muscular or arthritic-like pain. The double-blind randomized clinical trial applied (300 to 500 gauss) Bioflex magnetic devices to the affected area for 45 minutes. The magnets used in this study were a multipolar magnet with concentrically arranged circles of alternating magnet polarity.
Outcome measures were scored using the McGill Pain Questionnaire. Results of the study using the 10-point scale as followsā¦
Placebo group ā experienced a decrease of pain of 1.1 Ā± 1.6 points (p<0.005)
Active group ā experienced a decrease of pain of 5.2 Ā± 3.2 (p<0.0001)
See Table below:Ā

DISCLAIMER:
The type of magnet used is this study was not a Q Magnet. The safety and effectiveness of Q Magnets has not been established in the treatment of post-polio pain.
Those who received the active device reported much less pain than those who had the inactive device.
Vallbona concluded the application of a static magnetic field of 300-500 gauss over a trigger point offers significant and prompt relief of trigger point pain in post-polio subjects.
Vallbona C., Hazelwood C.F., et al. (1997). Response of pain to static magnetic fields in postpolio patients: a double-blind pilot study.Ā Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1997;78(11):1200-3.Ā PMID: 9365349;Ā doi.
CLINICAL TRIAL #2:Ā MAGNETSĀ TO TREAT MYOFASCIAL TRIGGER POINTS.
The same type ofĀ alternating concentric ring magnetsĀ were used in a randomised clinical trial with 30 subjects at theĀ Armstrong Atlantic State University Physical Therapy department. This was a student project supervised by professors of the physical therapy department. The results were presented at the Bioelectromagnetics Society annual meeting in 2004 and the results as follow….
There was a significant pre-post decline measured using the one-tailed, paired t-test in all 3pain measures in the active group. The McGill pain score was reduced by 55% (p=.011), The PPI score was reduced by 39% (p=.020) and the VAS score was reduced by 23% (p=.044). A moderate effect size was seen in the McGill total score (d=.69), a large effect size was seen in the PPI (d=.88) and a moderate effect size was seen in the VAS (0.68). There were no significant changes in any pre-test to post-test measures in the subjects treated with the sham control magnets.

Brantley et al. Static Magnets Reduce Myofascial Trigger Point Pain. Bioelectromagnetics Society. 26th Annual Meeting, Washington DC, 2004. Abstract Pg. 22
http://www.bioelectromagnetics.org/doc/bems2004-abstracts.pdf
CLINICAL TRIAL #3:Ā MAGNETSĀ TO TREAT CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN.
Brown et al. (2002) wanted to determine if applying Bioflex magnets to abdominal trigger points would significantly relieve pain. They studied 32 patients with Chronic Pelvic Pain by measuring pain relief and disability over two weeks and 19 patients completed 4 weeks of randomized double-blind placebo-controlled treatment at a gynaecology clinic. Assessment was made using McGill Pain Questionnaire, Pain Disability Index and Clinical Global Impressions Scale were used as outcome measures.
Patients received an active 500 gauss flexible rubber magnet with alternating polarity concentric rings or sham placebo magnets which were applied to abdominal trigger points for 24 hours per day. There was a greater drop out because more patients were able to detect the active magnet due to longer term use, as opposed to the two studies above which were only 45 minutes duration and participants could be monitored. This had the likely effect of reducing the power of the study and underestimating the effect.
The patients receiving the active magnets who completed four weeks of double-blind treatment had significantly lower Pain Disability Index (p<0.05), Clinical Global Impressions ā Severity (p<0.05) and Clinical Global impressions ā Improvement (p<0.01) scores than those receiving placebo magnets, yet were more likely to correctly identify their treatment (p<0.05).
The study concluded that Static Magnetic Field (SMF) therapy significantly improves disability and may reduce pain when active magnets are worn continuously for four weeks in patients with Chronic Pelvic Pain.
Brown, C.S., Ling, F.W., Wan, J.Y., et al. (2002). Efficacy of static magnetic field therapy in chronic pelvic pain: a double-blind pilot study. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;187:1581-7. PMID: 12501067; doi.
By simply palpating to identify trigger points and/or using the tools andĀ recommended placements provided, a consumer can simply find the best places to attach Bioflex magnets to the body to provide relief from pain.
Health practitioners who use Q Magnets or Bioflex magnets as an adjunct in their treatment of pain can demonstrate to their patients the most effective places to use their Q Magnets for the greatest pain relief.