The 5 best muscle rubs of 2024 (2024)

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Best overall

Penetrex offers fast-acting and effective topical pain relief that's useful for a variety of conditions, including arthritis, carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, and general muscle aches. Its active ingredient, arnica, has been used to reduce inflammation from certain conditions like osteoarthritis and surgery for decades, as well as help with trauma, bruises, or tissue injuries.

While there haven't been any peer-reviewed studies looking at the topical benefits of the plant in the last decade, a 2017 study analysis in Nutrients reports that arnica may have some anti-arthritic properties and could be a comparable pain reliever to ibuprofen.

When testing Penetrex, I found it provided pain relief within minutes and lasted for hours. Plus, it wasn't greasy and easily massaged into my skin in about 20 seconds.

Other ingredients in Penetrex include sunflower seed oil, glucosamine, Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, glycerin, and shea butter. Its scent is a mix of Frankincense oil, peppermint oil, camphor, and JeaTree leaf oil, but it's not overpowering and quickly fades.

Penetrex is paraben-free, which makes it less likely to cause skin irritation. It's non-staining and is formulated and filled in an FDA-certified laboratory. If you're looking for a go-to product for relatively fast relief, this one's for you.

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Best for cooling relief

My chiropractor first introduced me to Biofreeze and it's quickly become my go-to muscle rub for daily use (and it's no surprise it's one of our favorite products for lower back pain relief). Biofreeze's Pain Relief Gel Roll-On offers soothing, cooling relief that helps reduce muscle pain safely, as the formula contains no anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or parabens. In addition, it slows blood flow and cools your skin, potentially relieving pain at the same time.

Because menthol is the active ingredient in Biofreeze, it has a light scent but it isn't overpowering and fades quickly. I can feel it working within roughly two minutes and have noticed the effects last for hours.

It isn't greasy, doesn't stain clothing, and a little bit goes a long way. I particularly like the roll-on, mess-free design. The applicator itself, which utilizes a rollie ball, gives a massaging effect, too.

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Best for warming relief

For deep aches and chronic pain, Sombra's Warm Therapy Pain Relieving Gel offers a gentle warmth that can help to relieve pain. It massages into your skin quickly and within a few minutes, you can feel its warming effects.

For conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia, and bursitis, the warmth can help relax sore or tense muscles.

I discovered this muscle rub when I was looking for a product to relieve tension in my wrists from past injuries. It offers comfortable warmth, rather than a burning heat. Ingredients including menthol, camphor, and witch hazel do give this gel a mild scent but it may be too strong for some.

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Best natural

Noxicare's Natural Pain Relief Creamcontains natural ingredients for deeply penetrating pain relief, includingturmeric extract, a known anti-inflammatory.

In addition, the product contains willow bark extract, ginger extract, holy basil extract, rosemary extract, alpha-lipoic acids, and Boswellia extract. These natural ingredients work together to give this muscle rub both pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties.

This cream contains no parabens or glycol and its ingredient list is refreshingly simple. What's more, the formula was developed by a Harvard-trained doctor and board-certified interventional pain management specialist, so it was crafted with a keen eye toward alleviating discomfort.

I've been using this cream for about two years and appreciate its gentle yet effective pain relief. I don't feel it working immediately, but I do start to feel my hands and wrists relax about 15 minutes after application. It doesn't have the intense cooling or warming effects of other creams but is refreshing and works gradually. Best of all, this cream has no odor, so it's ideal for when you're in a public place.

Note that because of the turmeric, this cream can stain white or light-colored fabrics. If you massage it into your skin well, it's less likely to stain, though I still wouldn't advise applying it while wearing white.

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Best hemp rub

Dr. Sayman's Wonder Rub contains a trio of potent ingredients offering numbing, cooling, and anti-inflammatory properties for comprehensive pain relief. Lidocaine 4%, the maximum strength available without a prescription, helps to numb the pain associated with minor strains, arthritis, and muscle aches.

Hemp oil helps to reduce inflammation, targeting the source of the pain. Lastly, arnica offers cooling and fast-acting relief. This unique combination makes for a powerful pain-relieving rub.

It's also not greasy and has no odor. The 4-ounce tube goes a long way since you only need a bit for each application. The rub is easy to massage into your skin and because it's unscented, you can apply it anytime.