What Is Arnica? Benefits and How to Use It

Arnica (or more precisely, Arnica Montana) is a flowering plant native to Europe that belongs to the daisy family. It’s a mildly toxic plant if ingested or applied to broken skin, but has traditionally been used as a topical relief for pain, bruising and inflammation. Arnica is one of the key ingredients in the Recovery Balm.

Some physical therapists and sports medicine practitioners, on the lookout for non-invasive ways to reduce pain and accelerate recovery for their patients, have been particularly interested in Arnica, and started incorporating Arnica extracts into their practices.

According to a Cleveland Clinic article , many topical pain-relief products also started to include Arnica extract, after a 2021 study of osteoarthritis patients reported that topical Arnica can be as effective as NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, like ibuprofen).

Let’s look at what the current science says about Arnica’s benefits, and how to incorporate it into your recovery routine.

Several studies have looked at whether Arnica extracts could reduce fatigue and muscle soreness after workouts, or speed up athletic recovery.

In a very small study of ten highly athletic men, participants used mud packs with Menthol and Arnica after high-volume resistance workouts. The study found that with this treatment, participants’ power output recovered faster than those who didn’t use the treatment. Athletes also reported significantly lower muscle soreness.

While this study’s findings are promising, it’s difficult to say whether these recovery effects can be attributed to Arnica, due to the multiple layers of treatment used in the study.

In a slightly larger study of (also) highly athletic men, participants who used topical Arnica after an eccentric exercise session reported less muscle pain than the control group. However, the authors did not find significant differences in performance measures or biochemical markers of muscle damage and inflammation.

During your runs or workouts, you can also use the Recovery Balm as an anti-chafe stick with an extra comfort bonus. We also love the cool, refreshing feeling from the Eucalyptus and Peppermint extracts, especially during hot, sweaty workouts!

It’s important to note that by itself, Arnica application won’t heal chronic injuries like Plantar Fasciitis or Tennis Elbow. It's not a medication!

To resolve the root cause of your pain and make your recovery long-lasting, Arnica needs to be a part of the three pillars of the Alleviate Method:

• Soft tissue mobilization: work directly on the problematic tissue to relieve pain, reduce tension, and encourage the growth of healthy, strong tissue. Pair the Arnica-powered Recovery Balm with your massage device like the Arch Massager for best results.

• Load management: reduce the load on the injured tissue and relieve pain with a foot brace or elbow brace (or taping, if you're working with a PT) while the tissue heals.

• Progressive strengthening: build strength that can withstand the stress of your everyday activities with eccentric strengthening exercises.

Topical application in the form of Arnica cream or pain relief balm is likely safe for most people, when used as directed.

However, there are occasional reports of skin irritation or allergic reaction to watch out for. For example, the knee arthritis study included one participant who had an allergic reaction. Arnica belongs to the daisy family; if you have allergies to plants in this family like ragweed, it may be a consideration for you.

Arnica (at concentrations higher than “homeopathic” dilutions) is toxic when taken orally. It can also be absorbed through broken skin, so applying Arnica products to broken skin is not recommended.