Arnica and muscle soreness
What 4 graded rows on arnica agree on for muscle soreness, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.
Consensus finder Rows from the Arnica page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides
What the rows agree on
Each block and row is one graded row from the Arnica page, with its PubMed record.
Your question
Arnica and muscle soreness
4 rows · 555 peopleSplit. 1 row found an improvement, 1 found no difference, 1 found a worse outcome and 1 had mixed results.
- CGrade C× 1
- DGrade D× 2
- ∅No effect× 1
- Rows
- 4
- Trials
- 5
- People
- 555
- Pooled reviews may count some twice
Where they differ
From the rowsThe best-graded row, grade C, is a meta-analysis of 82 people (2003) and found an improvement. 1 row is graded No effect, our grade for adequately powered trials that found no effect.
The row that found no difference was larger: 400 people, against 82 people for the row that found an improvement.
The row that found an improvement is a pooled review of several trials; the row that found no difference is a single study.
The row that found no difference ran longer (5 days) than the row that found an improvement (3 days).
The row that found an improvement is newer (2003) than the row that found no difference (1998).
1 row with mixed results is left out of this comparison.
The rows
1 improved · 1 no difference · 1 worse · 1 mixed- CGrade CMuscle soreness after a marathon (homeopathic D30, pooled) · Improved
Meta-analysis, 2 studies · n 82 · 2003 · Marathon runners from two randomized placebo-controlled trials (Oslo Marathon 1990 and 1995)
Five pills morning and evening · From the evening before the race to 3 days after
Soreness right after the marathon was lower with arnica (P = 0.04); muscle enzymes, a measure of cell damage, did not differ.
- ∅No effectMuscle soreness after long-distance running (homeopathic 30x) · No difference
RCT · n 400 · 1998 · Runners expecting delayed-onset soreness after long-distance races (519 randomized)
As directed in the trial for 5 days · 5 days after the race
Mean 2-day soreness scores were 45.2 mm with arnica and 41.0 mm with placebo (95% CI 8.81 mm favouring placebo to 0.51 mm favouring arnica); race times did not differ.
- DGrade DLeg pain after calf-raise exercise (topical cream) · Worse
RCT · n 53 · 2010 · 53 subjects doing a standard calf-raise protocol, one leg arnica and one leg placebo
Applied right after exercise and at 24 and 48 hours · 4 days
Pain scores 24 hours after exercise were higher on arnica-treated legs than on placebo legs (3.04 vs 2.36, p < 0.005); there was no difference at days 3 and 4, and muscle tenderness and ankle range of motion did not differ.
- DGrade DMuscle soreness and recovery after downhill running (topical) · Mixed
RCT · n 20 · 2014 · Well-trained men with delayed-onset muscle soreness
Every 4 waking hours · 96 hours
The arnica group reported less pain and muscle tenderness 72 hours after the run. Arnica did not change strength or jump performance, or blood markers of muscle damage and inflammation.