The effect of pulsed electromagnetic frequency therapy on health-related quality of life in military service members with chronic low back pain.

•Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is among the most frequent complaints for medical visits, lost work time, and attrition from combat operations among military service members.•Pulsed electromagnetic frequency (PEMF) is a relatively unexplored complementary integrative treatment for cLBP.•PEMF in addition to usual care (UC) produced a significant improvement in self-reported physical health-related quality of life and a significant increase in anxiety symptoms, when compared with UC alone.•Future study of the effect of PEMF treatment on mental health outcomes is warranted.