Muscle Pain Relief Creams and Gels for Post-Workout Aches

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No one enjoys the feeling of waking up in the morning with aches and pains you didn't have the night before. Whether you pushed yourself to the limit during an at-home-workout or are just feeling stiff and sore from a weekend full of home cleaning, your body deserves a little TLC. Applying a muscle rub cream, gel, or balm is not going to magically cure the stiffness you're feeling, but it may provide much-needed relief in the moment and improve your day-to-day quality of life.

The Best Muscle Rubs

What to Consider

Purpose

According to Dr. Ben Gertzog, PT, DPT, regional director of physical therapy for SportsMed Physical Therapy, topical muscle rubs can be used on nagging aches and pains, such as tight shoulders or sore lower backs, but should never be used on acute injuries, open wounds, bruises, or surgical sites. It’s also important to remember, he says, that “muscle rubs don’t actually treat or affect the actual muscle tissues, heal injury, or provide any lasting relief.” Instead, the massaging action combined with the cooling or warming sensation “distract” the nervous system to provide temporary relief. For this reason, if you have ongoing pains, he recommends seeing a qualified physical therapist or another healthcare professional for an evaluation and treatment plan.

Spot-Testing

Dr. Gertzog also recommends spot-testing on a small area first to ensure you don't have any adverse effects or allergic reactions to the ingredients in the rub you wish to use.

Ingredients

"Muscle rubs usually provide a tingling or numbing feeling, with either a cool or warm sensation or a combination of both," Dr. Gertzog notes. These sensations are caused by ingredients like menthol or camphor (cooling) and capsaicin (warming). Since these ingredients help to temporarily reduce the feeling of pain, you may be tempted or feel capable of doing things you should probably be avoiding, he adds. To prevent further problems, wait until the muscle rub has worn off completely before proceeding with any activity that could further strain or injure the affected area(s).

In other words, while they may not treat the acute inflammation at the heart of your injury, muscle rubs can help calm some of those aches. If you're in the market to find the right one for you, we've rounded up the best, so you don't have to go searching.

Pain Relief Muscle Rub Gel

Key Ingredients

• Menthol 4%

This paraben-free, medical expert-recommended muscle rub has both fast- and long-acting effects, so you'll get lasting relief from muscle and joint pains. The menthol has a rather pleasant odor that dissipates quickly, leaving your aching body cool and calm.

Many professional athletes — from skateboarder Shaun White to tennis player Sloane Stephens — rep Biofreeze, using it before practice or to recover after hitting the slopes.

More: This Heated Neck Wrap Helps Relieve My Achy Back

Pain Relief Therapy

Key Ingredients

• Arnica

• Glucosamine

• Vitamin B-6

• MSM

You know this muscle rub is the real deal: It has over 52,000 five-star reviews on Amazon and comes highly recommended by doctors. The combination of MSM (or dimethyl sulfone, an inflammation-reducing supplement), vitamin B-6, and arnica aims to stop the acute inflammation at the root of your pain, rather than just masking it.

Sport Rub Pain Relieving Ointment (2-Pack)

Key Ingredients

• Camphor 11%

• Menthol 11%

You probably already know the spicy, minty smell of this analgesic formula — it's a classic for a reason. It's great to keep in your gym bag (and even your travel kit) to ease sore muscles and eliminate any stiffness. It works like magic every time!

Snatch one of these ointment muscle rubs to take with you just about anywhere you go.

Arnicare Gel

Key Ingredients

• Arnica montana 7%

Arnica has long been renowned (as in, for over 200 years) as a plant that helps with bruising, swelling, and pain. Boiron's arnica line channels these benefits in their pain relief products, and this water-based, non-scented, paraben-free gel is one of its best sellers. Being homeopathic, it has no contraindications or drug interactions, and a very low risk of side effects.

Rave reviews love that it provides relief quickly and that it’s “handy” and “amazing” for post-surgery healing.

dōTERRA Deep Blue Rub

Key Ingredients

• Camphor

• Peppermint

• Blue tansy

• German chamomile

• Helichrysum

• Osmanthus

This muscle rub from doTERRA feels seriously cold on contact. It features a blend of peppermint, wintergreen, and blue chamomile to cool and soothe aching muscles and joints. And, as the name implies, this cream will target the deep spots that other rubs have a hard time reaching.

Plus, the implemented healing oils act as a moisturizer, relieving you of dry skin in the process.

Max Strength Pain Relief Cream

Key Ingredients

• Lidocaine

• Menthol

If you travel frequently and tend to get achy and stiff immediately after spending hours on a flight or on the road, you need to pick up this muscle rub.

The classic formula comes in a 2.5-ounce roller-ball bottle, so you don't need to worry about it getting through airport security or spilling it all over your carry-on. You can even use it in-flight to cool — and then relax — your muscles. But if your skin is especially sensitive, be sure to consult your dermatologist before use.

Pain Relief Gel Roll-On

Key Ingredients

• Menthol 4%

If you'd rather not get your hands all sticky from applying muscle rub cream, this Biofreeze gel rub goes on mess-free with a massaging roller ball, making it ideal for on-the-go application. Use this on small muscle areas — like your ankle, wrist, or elbow — to quickly feel the pain subside.

Ultra Strength Topical Pain Relief Cream

Key Ingredients

• Camphor 4%

• Menthol 10%

• Methyl salicylate 30%

You've probably seen a tube of this tried-and-tested analgesic in your parents' (and yup, even your grandparents') medicine cabinets, and with good reason: This stuff works. A combo of 4% camphor, 10% menthol, and 30% methyl salicylate in the Ultra Strength formula all work together to ease pain — everything from minor arthritis to back and muscle aches.

For those averse to its trademark menthol scent, you can also find variants such as Ginger Citrus and Tropical Jasmine, which, as a bonus, also contain 4% lidocaine — a local anesthetic commonly used topically for relief of nerve pain.

Muscle and Joint Deep Soothing Original Analgesic Cream

Key Ingredients

• Aloe vera

• Emu oil

• Glucosamine

• MSM

• Vitamins A and E

• Natural botanical extracts

The hero in this best-selling formula is emu oil, which acts as a super-effective carrier oil for aloe vera, dimethyl sulfone (MSM), and glucosamine, which all deeply penetrate into the skin.

The non-greasy formula absorbs quickly for fast pain relief from tired muscles and joints, and can be applied anywhere from head to toe — they actually recommend daily application to maximize its soothing benefits!

Dehydrated skin in the colder months? Don't fret: This multipurpose cream also helps moisturize dry, chapped, and weathered skin.

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