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I’ve tried some of the best muscle rubs on the market to help you find one that fits your needs
Exercise and aching muscles are intrinsically linked. Committing to a long run, heavy gym session or challenging cycle will often leave you feeling a bit sore the following morning, especially if you tried something new or pushed past your usual limits. This is where muscle rubs and topical analgesics may offer some light relief.
Don’t expect miracles – the science behind muscle rubs remains limited. One 2012 randomised control trial found that “some topical analgesic products do reduce myofascial pain or tenderness”, while a 2019 study concluded that ”administration of a menthol-based topical analgesic” led to a reduction in pain in those with delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after exercise.
In other words: while there’s always an element of placebo at play, the right rub may soothe sore muscles. The number of products on the market, and the swathes of people who swear by them, also suggest there are further benefits to be had.
To put this to the test, I sourced some of the most popular options and tried them for myself. In the process, I found the most effective formulas are usually light and non-greasy, and leave skin feeling soothed and nourished. However, much of the selection process comes down to personal preference – if you hate the smell of Arnica, for example, then it’s best to avoid any balms featuring Arnica flowers as the active ingredient.
With that in mind, you can find my 12 favourites below. Scroll through the pros and cons of each one to see if there’s a product that suits your needs (and nose).
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I tried a range of muscle rubs – all designed to ease pain and muscle soreness – after heavy gym sessions, long cycle rides and gruelling training runs. I applied a small amount onto my fingers or sprayed the product directly onto my skin and massaged it into the affected areas – namely; sore glutes, overworked quads and tight hamstrings. These were my favourites.
Pure Sport, created by rugby players Grayson Hart and Adam Ashe while they were teammates at Glasgow Warriors, has gained quite the cult following over the past year or so. The story goes that after years of playing a high contact physical game – and having to deal with constant aches and pains – they swapped painkillers for CBD and became hooked on the benefits. So much so, they decided to create their own brand of CBD wellness products to help other athletes.
For those who don’t know, CBD is a chemical found naturally within the cannabis plant and does not contain THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis, so there’s no hit or illegal high.
Out of all the Pure Sport products on offer (the brand sells everything from oils to capsules, nootropics and even apparel), the muscle and joint balm is my favourite. Last year, when training for the London Marathon, this small 50ml bottle lived in my bedside drawer, ready to rub into sore muscles pre-bed.
It has quite a potent smell due to the peppermint and lemongrass ingredients – one whiff and I’m transported straight back to marathon season. And its yellow waxy consistency is smooth, if a little greasy (you’ll want to wash your hands afterwards) until it fully absorbs into the skin.
Sports skincare brand Premax – created by leading Australian sports physiotherapist Randall Cooper – has a range of products specifically designed for cyclists and runners. Think sports suncream, anti-chafe and chamois cream. The recovery cream comes in a 200ml bottle, so it’s great value for money, and it’s specifically designed to assist recovery from sports and exercise.
With a distinct sour cherry smell, the cream includes tart cherry extract, niacinamide, allantoin and arnica to help soothe distressed skin, while the sweet almond, shea and cocoa butter help restore skin hydration and resilience. It sinks into the skin really easily, giving you a natural post-workout glow. Basically, it’s a fancy, hard-working body moisturiser perfect for sore muscles, and I really rate it.
If you’re looking for something fast-acting – and cold – then Biofreeze is great for providing instant pain relief for sore muscles, backaches and sore joints. The bottle for this is pretty big – 473ml – and lasts for ages (honestly, we’re still working through the same bottle we bought back in 2018).
As this is a spray, there’s no need to rub this one in, so great for reaching those hard-to-get-to areas. It even works well when sprayed upside down. But, boy, it smells. One spray is too many and the menthol really hits the back of your throat – so don’t go overboard. If you’re putting it on before bed, do give it time to dry before climbing into your bedsheets else the minty smell will linger for days.
Packaged in a small 90ml tin, the exterior of this body salve doesn’t scream luxury, but the £120 price point definitely does. Why so expensive? It’s packed with 1,500mg of fast-acting and potent active CBD (that’s one and half times as much as the Pure Sport version (£40, Puresportcbd.com).
With a waxy consistency, this CBD body salve is created by renowned osteopath Kemmy Gichaba to combat a wide range of aches and pains – and it smells divine, thanks to the eucalyptus and lavender oils. As soon as you unscrew the lid and delve into the wax, the essential oils create a calming and relaxing aroma. Plus, as it guarantees zero THC, it’s safe for high-level athletes to use for sports recovery.
This soothing sleep plus massage relief with an inbuilt massager rollerball, from well-known brand This Works, is by far the easiest to apply. It looks just like a roll-on deodorant, and works just the same – you simply roll the product onto stiff or overworked muscles and it gently ekes out any knots. We love that it’s not messy or sticky, and so easy to use.
Made with black pepper, hemp-derived CBD (2,448mg per bottle) and magnesium it’s designed to help both relax any muscle tension and also prepare your body for sleep. We recommend using the rollerball to massage limbs and target specific acupressure points after a workout and before bed – it’s the perfect way to unwind from the day. A night-time routine must-have.
This magnesium chloride spray is infused with lemon oil, arnica and capsicum to add a little heat and speed up recovery time after a workout. Simply spray onto the skin and massage in to soothe hard-working, aching muscles. It absorbs into the skin quickly and is great for reducing lactic acid, helping to hydrate the body and minimise tightness and cramping. We sprayed it on our tired legs and feet, roughly ten to 15 minutes before bed, and found it really helped to release and relax tense muscles.
BetterYou is one of the cheaper post-exercise products out there and is also one of the more environmentally friendly – the bottle is made from fully-recyclable plant-based plastic and also palm oil-free. We also really like the Magnesium oil body spray (£13.95, Betteryou.com) – a saturated solution of Zechstein magnesium chloride – which is particularly great straight out the shower.
Arriving in a cute little drawstring bag, this self-heating CBD balm (300mg strength) is designed to melt away tension and help take the edge off your agonies. We love that you don’t have to dig your fingers into the wax to scoop this product out – instead, you just twist the bottle and glide the balm on. It feels light, smells of peppermint and ever-so-gently heats your muscles. It’s a salve for the senses.
For those who aren’t already familiar with this British brand, MOi + ME is an all-star collection of high-quality CBD products that offer moments of wellbeing to help counteract the daily stressors of modern life, so that you can get on with your day (while prioritising self-care).
If post-workout DOMS has you scared of stairs, Neals Yard’s soothing arnica salve can make sore muscles feel that little bit more bearable. Made with 99.9 per cent organic ingredients, this cocktail of plant-derived extracts – including arnica, beeswax, rosemary, ginger and lavender – can help dispel tension in tight muscles and ease achy joints. Just apply a thin layer and massage gently into the affected areas, et voilà – no more nagging aches.
British body care brand Bloom and Blossom want us to spend the same amount of time massaging our legs as we spend cleansing and moisturising our faces. It’s a tall order, especially at this time of year when our pins don’t see much (read: literally any) sunlight and they’re lucky to get a weekly moisturise (and/or monthly shave) – let alone a massage, too. But perhaps once you try the legs eleven cooling leg serum, you’ll change your mind.
Packaged in a fun millennial pink bottle, the fresh, minty serum pumps out easily and isn’t at all sticky – instead, it lightly glides on, cooling and revitalising tired legs. It actually reminded me of aftersun – partially thanks to its aloe vera leaf juice and peppermint leaf oil. In fact, this may be my new holiday must-have, as I imagine its naturally derived ingredients make it just as good for soothing sunburn as it is for invigorating sore legs.
I was amazed by how quickly the serum sunk into my legs, so if you’re looking for something that will leave your legs silky smooth, this is the product for you.
Hand-made in Cornwall, Inlight Beauty – founded by homeopath and renowned skin expert Dr Mariano Spiezia – fills the gap in the market for affordable yet luxury skincare products. The recovery balm for aching joints and tense, strained muscles comes with a tiny wooden spoon to help scoop out the waxy product (goodbye sticky fingers) which then instantly melts on the skin into an oil.
Cleverly harnessing British-grown plants such as rosemary, hypericum, ginger and thyme, this balm – previously known as Joint Easy – is formulated with sensitive skins in mind and laced with essential oils. I found the highly concentrated balm incredibly moisturising – a little goes a long way. Whether or not it helps to help take the edge off those niggling twinges is yet to be determined, but it does a great job at soothing and quenching dry skin.
Starring muscle relieving botanicals, active aromatherapy and essential oils, Tea and Tonic has a wholly holistic approach to addressing tired muscles. The brand even describes its muscle tonic relief balm as ‘a nutrient-charged fusion of age-old folk remedies’. Hand blended in small batches for optimal freshness, when you unscrew the lid of this balm you’re immediately hit with the potent smell of peppermint. I found this balm particularly greasy, so go easy on how much you scoop out the jar.
For those plagued by persistent soreness, consider this the ache-easing weapon of choice that unifies the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities of CBD with carefully sourced and selected plant extracts that work in harmony with one another. Powered by inflammation-easing arnica, black pepper, sage and tea tree oil in an attempt to combat stiffness, you can choose between either 500mg (£45) or 1000mg (£55) of CBD.
We tried the 500mg version and loved how easy it was to pump directly onto the problem area. The texture of this muscle balm is much more like that of a cream or serum – so it’s no where near as sticky as some of the waxy formulas on this list. It feels immediately cooling. The result? Happy, calmed, relieved muscles.
Adding one of the above muscle rubs to your basket is a no-brainer for sporty, muscle-working folk in need. It is worth remembering that skincare is very individual and results will vary from person to person – the balms that worked best for me might do nothing for you (although they may offer a small placebo effect). There is, after all, no such thing as a magic cream that will completely eliminate your pain.
My favourites? The Puresport CBD muscle & joint balm remains my ride or die. However, I also loved how easy, fuss-free and effective both Eresos active muscle therapy balm and This Works sleep plus massage relief were to roll on and soothe tired and achy muscles. I adored the relaxing and reliving smell of the Holistic Impact CBD body salve, and found Bloom and Blossom’s legs eleven was the best at quickly sinking into skin (with no sticky residue).
For more products that will relieve muscle pain, check out our guide to the best at-home massage tools
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12 best muscle pain relief rubs for soothing aching muscles, tested by our writer – The Independent
