body
Muscle Soreness Reduction (DOMS)
Muscle Soreness Reduction (DOMS) refers to a decrease in delayed-onset muscle soreness: the subjective aching or pain a person notices after exercise. Improvement means reporting less soreness on a pain assessment, rather than measuring a broader aspect of recovery.
Understand the Muscle Soreness Reduction (DOMS) outcome and how it fits into body-focused wellness information.
These are research findings, not promises. Most options have little evidence, and results differ from person to person.
What may help
None of these options has good evidence yet. Best evidence first.
29 options:2 mixed4 not enough evidence1 not tested in people19 personal stories only3 no benefit found
Ice Bath / Cold PlungepracticeMixed resultsSize of effect: Medium
Studies disagree: some found a benefit, others found none. Do not count on it.
34 of 58 studies found a benefit; 24 found none. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.
A pooled analysis of randomized trials involving 375 people found less muscle soreness after eccentric exercise at 48, 72, and 96 h. Another pooled analysis found reduced soreness at 24 h, while a separate analysis reported no superiority for longer immersion times.
Open the Ice Bath / Cold Plunge pageFoam RollingpracticeMixed resultsSize of effect: Small
Studies disagree: some found a benefit, others found none. Do not count on it.
12 of 15 studies found a benefit; 3 found none. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.
A pooled analysis of randomized trials involving 515 people found a small immediate reduction in soreness; the reported VAS decrease represents improvement. Findings differed, as another pooled analysis of 151 people found no significant difference in soreness immediately after massage versus no intervention.
Open the Foam Rolling pageInfrared SaunapracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
2 of 3 studies found a benefit; 1 found none. Strongest study: a randomized controlled trial.
Findings in healthy participants disagree. A 2025 randomized trial involving 40 people observed increased soreness 36 hours after exercise only in the control group, and a 2023 trial involving 16 people found lower soreness scores after infrared sauna than after PAS; however, a 2015 trial involving 10 people found no differences in any variables during recovery between infrared sauna and no sauna bathing.
Open the Infrared Sauna pageHot BathpracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
1 of 8 studies found a benefit; 7 found none. Strongest study: a randomized controlled trial.
A trial of 20 healthy people found that heat attenuated muscle soreness compared with control on D2-POST and D3-POST. Findings conflict with a pooled analysis of randomized trials, which found no better relief from hot- or cold-water immersion among 49 people in its soreness analysis.
Open the Hot Bath pageTENS / EMS TherapypracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
All 3 studies with a clear result found a benefit. Strongest study: a randomized controlled trial.
In one randomized trial of 30 healthy participants, pain scores at 48 h were lower with TENS than with control. A separate randomized trial of 40 participants found lower pain intensity on Day 4.
Open the TENS / EMS Therapy pageRed Light Therapy (Photobiomodulation)practiceNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit.
A narrative review described low-level laser therapy as improving muscular performance and soreness recovery, but no human evidence is reported for this effect.
Open the Red Light Therapy (Photobiomodulation) pageSwimmingpracticeNot tested in people
Only tested in animals, cells or theory. Results like these often do not carry over to people.
The one study found a benefit.
Expert commentary suggests easy swimming after intense exercise may reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness compared with passive rest.
Open the Swimming pageMassagepracticeOnly personal stories
Only people's own stories online. No study has tested it.
The one study found a benefit.
Expert summaries suggest massage after strenuous exercise can reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness at 24-72 h in healthy adults, with small to moderate effects.
Open the Massage page
Comparing practices
- Ice Bath / Cold PlungeMixed resultsSize of effect: Medium30 trials
- Foam RollingMixed resultsSize of effect: Small10 trials
The expert view shows every study, dose protocol and source.
What may help
Linked to improving it29 listedStart here
Most likely to help, from the evidence we have
- →PracticesIce Bath / Cold PlungeCertaintyMediumSourceMeta-analysisModerate effectconflicting findings59 other sources
A pooled analysis of randomized trials involving 375 people found less muscle soreness after eccentric exercise at 48, 72, and 96 h. Another pooled analysis found reduced soreness at 24 h, while a separate analysis reported no superiority for longer immersion times.
How big is the effect
Moderate effectA clear difference on average.
Who was studied
- Healthy people and patients
Open Ice Bath / Cold PlungeStudy result
CWI was effective at reducing DOMS after eccentric exercise at 48, 72, and 96 h (Table 2; all small effects; GRADE = high).
- →PracticesFoam RollingCertaintyMediumSourceMeta-analysisSmall effectconflicting findings16 other sources
A pooled analysis of randomized trials involving 515 people found a small immediate reduction in soreness; the reported VAS decrease represents improvement. Findings differed, as another pooled analysis of 151 people found no significant difference in soreness immediately after massage versus no intervention.
How big is the effect
Small effectA small but noticeable difference on average.
Who was studied
- Healthy people
Open Foam RollingStudy result
The standard mean deviation (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) of VAS and PPT immediately after intervention...: [SMD = -0.38, 95%CI (-0.61, -0.15), P = 0.001]. VAS is inverted: a decrease is an improvement.
Low probability(25)
- →PracticesInfrared SaunaCertaintyLowSourceClinical4 other sources
Findings in healthy participants disagree. A 2025 randomized trial involving 40 people observed increased soreness 36 hours after exercise only in the control group, and a 2023 trial involving 16 people found lower soreness scores after infrared sauna than after PAS; however, a 2015 trial involving 10 people found no differences in any variables during recovery between infrared sauna and no sauna bathing.
Who was studied
- Healthy people
Open Infrared SaunaStudy result
Increased muscle soreness was observed at EX1 post36h only in the CON-group.
- →PracticesHot BathCertaintyLowSourceClinicalconflicting findings9 other sources
A trial of 20 healthy people found that heat attenuated muscle soreness compared with control on D2-POST and D3-POST. Findings conflict with a pooled analysis of randomized trials, which found no better relief from hot- or cold-water immersion among 49 people in its soreness analysis.
Who was studied
- Healthy people
Open Hot BathStudy result
Muscle soreness increased in both CON and HEAT, but was significantly attenuated in HEAT compared with CON at D2-POST (p = 0.024) and D3-POST (p = 0.013).
- →PracticesTENS / EMS TherapyCertaintyLowSourceClinical3 other sources
In one randomized trial of 30 healthy participants, pain scores at 48 h were lower with TENS than with control (−22.7 mm, 95% CI: −34.8, −10.6). A separate randomized trial of 40 participants found lower pain intensity on Day 4.
Who was studied
- Healthy people
Open TENS / EMS TherapyStudy result
Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for Pain: at the end of observation (Day 4), a statistically significant (p = 0.006) decrease in pain intensity was observed in Group 1 (Table 2 and Figure 3).
- →PracticesRed Light Therapy (Photobiomodulation)CertaintyLowSourceReview2 other sources
A narrative review described low-level laser therapy as improving muscular performance and soreness recovery, but no human evidence is reported for this effect.
Open Red Light Therapy (Photobiomodulation)Study result
LLLT was found to improve muscular performance and enhance soreness recovery.
- →PracticesMassageCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal2 other sources
Expert summaries suggest massage after strenuous exercise can reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness at 24-72 h in healthy adults, with small to moderate effects.
Open MassageStudy result
Massage given after strenuous exercise reduces delayed-onset muscle soreness at 24-72 h, with small to moderate effects in healthy adults.
- →PracticesPilatesCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal2 other sources
Low-impact, controlled Pilates movements are described as promoting blood flow and reducing delayed onset muscle soreness when used as active recovery. Some people also report this effect.
Open PilatesStudy result
Low-impact, controlled movements in Pilates promote blood flow and reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) when used as active recovery.
- →PracticesSwedish (Classic) MassageCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal2 other sources
Massage is described as potentially reducing delayed onset muscle soreness and improving recovery after exercise. The effect was mentioned in 11 of 241 community reports.
Open Swedish (Classic) MassageStudy result
Massage can reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and improve recovery after exercise.
- →PracticesThai MassageCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal2 other sources
Expert knowledge suggests Thai Massage may modestly reduce perceived delayed-onset muscle soreness for a short time after exercise. Community reports also describe this effect.
Open Thai MassageStudy result
Massage may modestly reduce perceived delayed-onset muscle soreness after exercise in the short term.
- →PracticesHot YogaCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal1 other source
This effect was mentioned in 6 of 312 Reddit reports discussing it.
- →PracticesCyclingCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal1 other source
This effect was mentioned in 2 of 212 Reddit reports discussing it.
- →PracticesGrounding / EarthingCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal1 other source
This effect was mentioned in 5 of 99 YouTube videos discussing it.
- →PracticesHatha YogaCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal1 other source
This effect was mentioned in 5 of 279 Reddit reports discussing it.
- →PracticesMobility TrainingCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal1 other source
This effect was mentioned in 10 of 276 Reddit reports discussing it.
- →PracticesQigongCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal1 other source
This effect was mentioned in 2 of 250 Reddit reports discussing it.
- →PracticesIndoor RowingCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal1 other source
This effect was mentioned in 4 of 242 Reddit reports discussing it.
- →PracticesStrength TrainingCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal1 other source
This effect was mentioned in 2 of 300 Reddit reports discussing it.
- →PracticesTabata TrainingCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal1 other source
This effect was mentioned in 3 of 216 Reddit reports discussing it.
- →PracticesTai ChiCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal1 other source
This effect was mentioned in 4 of 159 Reddit reports discussing it.
- →PracticesVinyasa YogaCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal1 other source
This effect was mentioned in 9 of 312 Reddit reports discussing it.
- →PracticesYin YogaCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal1 other source
This effect was mentioned in 2 of 71 Reddit reports discussing it.
- →PracticesYogaCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal1 other source
This effect was mentioned in 12 of 368 community reports discussing it (Reddit 7, YouTube 5).
- →PracticesLatin Dance FitnessCertaintyLowSourceAnecdotal1 other source
This effect was mentioned in 3 of 218 Reddit reports discussing it.
- →PracticesHeating Pads / Warm CompressesCertaintyLowSourceTheoretical2 other sources
A pooled analysis of randomized trials found that other thermal therapies were not statistically significant for muscle soreness (P > 0.05); studies did not support this effect.
Open Heating Pads / Warm CompressesWho was studied
- People with a condition
- →PracticesFinnish SaunaCertaintyLowSourceTheoretical2 other sources
Studies did not support heat methods for reducing muscle soreness: a review found that only one of three studies measuring soreness observed relief compared with passive recovery.
Open Finnish SaunaWho was studied
- Healthy people
- →PracticesSwimmingCertaintyLowSourceTheoretical1 other source
Expert commentary suggests easy swimming after intense exercise may reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness compared with passive rest.
Open SwimmingStudy result
Easy swimming after intense exercise may modestly reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness compared with passive rest.
Very low probability(2)
- →PracticesCupping TherapyCertaintyVery lowSourceClinical1 other source
A randomized trial of 49 healthy participants found that wet cupping therapy did not affect the quantity of delayed onset muscle soreness measured before the RAST (p = 0.79, ES = 0.1).
Open Cupping TherapyWho was studied
- Healthy people
Practices compared
Practices with at least one trial of their own for this goal. Ranked by how sure the evidence is, then effect size.| Practice | How sure | Effect size | Own trials | What worked in trials |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Bath / Cold Plunge | CertaintyMediumSourceMeta-analysis | Moderate effect | 30 trials or pooled analyses | 10–14 min · 0.6 weeks |
| Foam Rolling | CertaintyMediumSourceMeta-analysis | Small effect | 10 trials or pooled analyses | 3–9 min |
| Infrared Sauna | CertaintyLowSourceClinical | 2 trials or pooled analyses | 10–15 min | |
| TENS / EMS Therapy | CertaintyLowSourceClinical | 2 trials or pooled analyses | 20–25 min |
What worked in trials: From the smallest to the typical amount in the trials that found this benefit. Not the most anyone did, not a target and not a limit.
How to read the evidence
Evidence tier — overall strength of the evidence for the whole compound
- StrongWell established — backed by strong, consistent human research.
- ModerateSome genuine support, but mostly from small or lower-quality studies. Promising, not proven.
- PreliminaryEarly-stage evidence — a promising hypothesis, not an established effect yet.
- LimitedVery limited evidence — treat this as a hypothesis, not proof.
- InsufficientNot enough good evidence to draw conclusions yet.
Certainty — how sure we can be that the effect is real
- Very highVery sure — strong, consistent evidence
- HighFairly sure — consistent evidence from good studies
- MediumModerately sure — new studies could change this
- LowNot sure — little or mixed evidence
- Very lowVery unsure — almost no usable evidence
Source — where the data comes from
- Meta-analysisPooled analysis of many trials — the strongest evidence
- RCTRandomized controlled trial — a strong human study design
- ClinicalA human clinical study
- Reference knowledgeFrom general health-science or pharmacology references, not a study of this exact claim
- Animal researchStudied in animals, not humans
- Community reportsAggregated user reports — anecdotal signal, not evidence
- TheoreticalMechanism-based reasoning, not yet tested
Study grade — quality of each underlying study (A best, D weakest)
- AHigh-quality — strong, consistent human trials
- BGood — solid evidence with some limitations
- CModerate — limited, small, or mixed-quality studies
- DWeak — preliminary, indirect, or animal-only
Confidence — how strongly the sources back a finding
A 0–100 score from study quality and agreement
Most supplement evidence is graded C–D. Read it as preliminary signal, not proof.
Full write-up
What is it
Muscle Soreness Reduction (DOMS) refers to a decrease in delayed-onset muscle soreness: the subjective aching or pain a person notices after exercise. Improvement means reporting less soreness on a pain assessment, rather than measuring a broader aspect of recovery. Interventions studied for this outcome include Ice Bath / Cold Plunge, Citrulline, BCAA, and Caffeine.
How interventions help
Approaches to delayed-onset muscle soreness differ mainly in timing and continuity. Some are used around a single exercise session: Citrulline was studied as an acute 8 g intervention with an immediate onset, while Whey Protein was given as a 30 g single dose 2 h before exercise. Ice Bath / Cold Plunge was evaluated after exercise using 10–15 min at 11°C–15°C. These approaches are suited to a short recovery window rather than a long buildup of use.
Other interventions were used repeatedly before soreness was assessed. Creatine was studied at 3 g/day for 28 days, Ashwagandha at 600 mg/day for 42 days, and Ginger at 2000 mg/day for 4 weeks plus 3 days post-exercise. Quercetin studies ranged from 7 days to 12 weeks, while Omega-3 was studied over 4-7 weeks. This makes their findings less applicable to a one-time, immediately post-workout decision. Some interventions were positioned between these patterns: Beetroot Extract was used over 48 hours, and BCAA protocols varied from 1-28 days.
The outcomes are not identical in practical terms. Several interventions were associated with lower pain or soreness, whereas Spirulina was associated with a greater reduction in range of motion at 24 h post-exercise, so a change in one recovery measure should not automatically be treated as improvement in every measure. Results also do not apply equally across populations: Ice Bath / Cold Plunge was studied in mixed health-status groups, Omega-3 in healthy participants, and many other interventions in groups whose health status was not specified. Findings are therefore best interpreted according to the intervention’s timing, the outcome measured, and how closely the studied participants resemble the intended user.
Choosing guidance
Choose among these options mainly by timing, commitment, and the type of evidence behind them. Some were studied as single-use or immediate post-exercise approaches, which may suit someone seeking support around one training session. Others were evaluated over days or weeks and are more relevant when a consistent routine is acceptable. The listed dose and duration details should be read together rather than treated as interchangeable: a result from an acute protocol does not establish the same outcome for repeated use, and a multi-week study does not show what to expect after one use.
Human evidence is not equally distributed across the options. Several interventions have been examined in human participants, while others rely mainly on reviews, theoretical rationale, pharmacology references, or community reports. This makes the latter less suitable for conclusions about people with different training patterns, health statuses, or soreness experiences.
Results can also depend on when soreness was assessed and on the exercise or protocol used. Ice Bath / Cold Plunge and Curcumin have conflicting evidence, while findings for Omega-3 varied by muscle group, time point, formulation, and dose. For these options, the overall direction should be interpreted cautiously rather than assumed to apply consistently. Options supported only by anecdotal or theoretical evidence are best viewed as less established choices, especially when a reader wants a predictable result.