In　the　present　study,　we　investigated　the　effects　of　millimeter　wave　treatment　on　the　activation　of　the　p38MAPK　signaling　pathway　in　the　process　of　NO-induced　apoptosis　in　chondrocytes.　Cartilage　was　isolated　from　the　knee　joint　of　SD　rats　and　used　to　establish　cultured　primary　chondrocytes.　After　identification　using　in　situ　staining　of　type　II　collagen,　the　passage　2　chondrocytes　were　incubated　with　or　without　sodium　nitroprussiate　(SNP)　to　induce　apoptosis　and　treated　with　a　millimeter　wave　for　various　times.　The　apoptosis　of　chondrocytes　was　detected　using　immunofluorescence,　in　MTT　assay,　and　Annexin　V-FITC　labeling　followed　by　fluorescence-activated　cell　sorting　(FACS).　The　activity　of　caspase-3　was　measured　using　colorimeters,　and　the　levels　of　p38　and　p53　were　also　detected　using　RT-PCR　and　Western　blotting.　After　treatment　with　SNP,　the　OD　values　of　the　experimental　groups　were　significantly　lower　than　the　control　24-h　interference　of　a　millimeter　wave　group　(P＜0.01).　The　24　significantly　prevented　apoptosis　(P＜0.01)　and　showed　a　dose　dependency,　and　an　identical　trend　of　apoptosis　was　noted　with　normal　cell　number　counting　(P＜0.01)　and　FACS　(P＜0.01).　Consistently,　the　caspase　3　activity　showed　a　reverse　trend,　with　the　highest　activity　in　the　experimental　group　receiving　no　millimeter　wave　treatment　(P＜0.01).　The　mRNA　expression　of　p38　and　p53　and　the　protein　levels　of　phosphorylated　p38　and　p53　showed　a　similar　trend　(P＜0.01)　to　that　of　caspase　3　activity.　In　conclusion,　millimeter　wave　treatment　inhibits　the　SNP-induced　apoptosis　of　chondrocytes　through　the　p38MAPK　pathway.