The recovery balm our fitness writer relies on

If you’ve increased your training load this summer, you might have thought about booking a professional massage to soothe your tired muscles.

But before you do that, have you thought about looking into a way to relieve tension at home? While foam rollers and massage guns promise to soothe sore muscles, perhaps an easier solution comes in the form of recovery balms . The creams can be used either immediately after exercise to aid faster recovery or applied before bed to help muscles relax and prepare.

Freelance fitness writer Alice Barraclough reviewed an array of different muscle pain relief rubs , with a formula from This Works being touted as best for improved sleep. The roll-on combines the muscle-relieving magic of magnesium with the inflammation-reducing properties of CBD. Keep reading for why it earned a spot on our bedside table.

This Works sleep plus muscle relief roll-on: £38, Lookfantastic.com

If you’ve ever tried to rub pain relief cream onto your own back or shoulders, you’ll appreciate how messy it can be to reach those areas. According to our tester, this roll-on was “by far the easiest” to apply – resembling a roll-on deodorant, all you need to do is roll the product onto stiff or overworked muscles and it gently ekes out any knot.

In our review, Alice recommended 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”.

“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.” A great solution to soothing aches and pains.