Research · 3 min read · 2026-10-12
Which recovery methods actually work?
A meta-analysis of 99 studies compared massage, compression, cold water, stretching and more. Massage did best for soreness and fatigue.
Massage, compression socks, ice baths, stretching: there is no shortage of ways to recover after a hard run. A meta-analysis of 99 studies compared them.
What the researchers did
Researchers in France collected studies of recovery methods after exercise, including active recovery, massage, compression garments, cold water, contrast baths, cryotherapy, electrical stimulation and stretching. They looked at muscle soreness in the following days, how tired people felt, and markers of muscle damage and inflammation in the blood.
What they found
Active recovery, massage, compression garments, cold water, contrast baths and cryotherapy reduced muscle soreness, from a little to a lot. The other methods made no difference.
Massage had the largest effect on both soreness and feeling tired. Compression garments and water immersion also reduced the feeling of fatigue. Massage and cold reduced markers of inflammation the most.
What it means for you
If you are sore after a race or a hard session, massage is the best documented choice. Compression garments and a cold bath can help too, and an easy jog or walk is free. Stretching feels good for many people, but it did not reduce soreness.
None of these replace what recovery is mainly about: easy days, enough sleep and enough food.
What the study can't tell you
The study measured soreness, fatigue and blood markers in the days after exercise. It doesn't show whether any of the methods make you fitter over weeks and months, or whether they let you train more.
How we use it
PX7 Training plans the easy days and asks how you feel before each session. If you are still sore from a hard run, say so, and the next session takes it into account.
Source
- Dupuy et al. (2018), An evidence-based approach for choosing post-exercise recovery techniques to reduce markers of muscle damage, soreness, fatigue, and inflammation: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Frontiers in Physiology.
Written by Jørgen Larsen for PX7 Training.