Sore After the Gym? Foam Rolling, Massage and Stretching
General information: This article is general information about soreness and recovery and how an app works. It has not been reviewed by a dietitian, doctor or qualified trainer, and it is not a substitute for their advice.
Two days after a first leg workout, stairs feel impossible, and every reel has a fix: foam rollers, massage guns, long stretches. This page checks what reviews of recovery methods actually report about soreness, and says how big the effects are.
The short answer
In these reviews several methods eased soreness, from small to large effects depending on the method, and none is essential. A meta-analysis of 99 studies (Dupuy et al., 2018) found that active recovery, massage and several other methods gave a small to large decrease in delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and massage was the strongest. The same review found no change for the other methods; for stretching that rests on only 5 comparisons in 67 people, which is thin evidence, not proof that stretching does nothing. A systematic review of 29 massage trials (Davis et al., 2020) found small but statistically significant improvements in DOMS and flexibility with massage, and no evidence that massage improves strength, jump, sprint or endurance.
What the research says
- Which methods reduced soreness. In the meta-analysis of 99 studies (Dupuy et al., 2018), active recovery, massage, compression garments, water immersion, contrast water therapy and cryotherapy each reduced DOMS by a small to large amount (g from -2.26 to -0.40), while the abstract says there was no change for the other methods, which the full text table shows for stretching as only 5 comparisons in 67 people (SMD 0.15, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.29) and for electrostimulation as 8 comparisons in 94 people (SMD -0.28, 95% CI -0.59 to 0.03). That is thin evidence from one review, not proof that those methods do nothing. The authors concluded massage seems to be the most effective method for DOMS and perceived fatigue.
- Foam rolling: small effects. The meta-analysis of 21 foam rolling studies (Wiewelhove et al., 2019) found that rolling after exercise reduced muscle pain perception (g = 0.47) and slightly attenuated exercise-induced drops in sprint and strength performance (g = 0.34 and 0.21). The authors summarised the effects of foam rolling on performance and recovery as "rather minor and partly negligible, but can be relevant in some cases", and said the evidence seems to justify foam rolling as a warm-up activity rather than a recovery tool.
- Massage: soreness and flexibility, not performance. The systematic review of 29 massage trials (Davis et al., 2020) (1,012 participants) found no evidence that massage improves strength, jump, sprint, endurance or fatigue, but small improvements in flexibility and DOMS.
Soreness and muscle pain are perception measures; the reviews describe averages, not what will happen to you, and several methods (cold immersion, compression garments) need equipment you may not have.
A low-cost routine (our practical template)
The table below is our own reading of those reviews, not a trial result.
| Option | How to use it |
|---|---|
| Active recovery | Easy walking or light cycling on the day after a hard session; the review found it reduced DOMS. |
| Foam rolling or self-massage | A few minutes on the sore muscles after training if you like it; effects are small. |
| Stretching | Fine for comfort and flexibility. The one review that looked at it found no significant effect on soreness, from only a few small comparisons. |
| Between sessions | Give a sore muscle a rest day before hitting it hard again; see the recovery guide. |
Soreness is also common after a new exercise or a bigger jump in load, so build up gradually, warm up (see how to warm up) and follow a plan like the beginner gym plan. How often to train is in how many days a week.
When to see a doctor or trainer first
As a general safety pointer (not from these reviews): if you have sharp or sudden pain, swelling, severe or lasting pain, dark urine or dizziness after a workout, a medical condition, or are pregnant, stop and ask your doctor; do not massage or roll over an injury. Ask a qualified trainer to check your technique and how fast you are adding load.
Logging recovery in NYUS
NYUS is an AI diet and workout coach. On the workout screen you can log each set and use the rest timer, and each exercise shows what you did last time ("Last: ..."). Steps, sleep and resting heart rate can come in through Health Connect. NYUS does not decide your recovery routine: that is yours to choose.
Track your sessions in NYUS
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Join the NYUS waitlistFrequently asked questions
Does stretching stop muscle soreness?
In a meta-analysis of 99 studies, active recovery, massage and some other methods reduced DOMS by a small to large amount, while stretching showed no significant effect, from only 5 comparisons in 67 people, which is thin evidence from one review. Our practical reading: stretch for comfort and flexibility rather than counting on it for soreness.
Does foam rolling help soreness?
A little. A meta-analysis of 21 studies found rolling after exercise reduced muscle pain perception (g = 0.47), but called the overall effects of foam rolling on performance and recovery "rather minor and partly negligible, but can be relevant in some cases", and said the evidence seems to justify it more as a warm-up than a recovery tool.
Is massage worth it for sore muscles?
A review of 29 trials found small but significant improvements in DOMS and flexibility with massage, and no evidence it improves strength, jump, sprint, endurance or fatigue. A broader meta-analysis found massage the most effective of the recovery methods it compared for DOMS.
When should I see a doctor about sore muscles?
As a general safety pointer, not from the reviews: see a doctor for sharp or sudden pain, swelling, severe or lasting pain, dark urine or dizziness after a workout, and stop exercising until you have.
Sources (read 23 October 2026)
- Dupuy et al., 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 (Front Physiol 2018) (abstract and open full text PMC5932411; DOI 10.3389/fphys.2018.00403, PubMed 29755363, read 23 Oct 2026): 99 studies; active recovery, massage, compression garments, immersion, contrast water therapy and cryotherapy gave a small to large decrease (-2.26 < g < -0.40) in DOMS; the full text (PMC5932411) reports no significant influence of stretching or electrostimulation on DOMS and fatigue (stretching: 5 experimental groups, 67 subjects, SMD 0.15); massage the most effective for DOMS and perceived fatigue. (The review also reports muscle damage and inflammatory markers; this page does not use them.)
- Wiewelhove et al., A meta-analysis of the effects of foam rolling on performance and recovery (Front Physiol 2019) (abstract; DOI 10.3389/fphys.2019.00376, PubMed 31024339, read 23 Oct 2026): 21 studies (14 pre-rolling, 7 post-rolling); post-rolling slightly attenuated exercise-induced decreases in sprint (g = 0.34) and strength (g = 0.21) and reduced muscle pain perception (g = 0.47); effects of foam rolling on performance and recovery rather minor and partly negligible, but can be relevant in some cases.
- Davis et al., Effect of sports massage on performance and recovery: a systematic review and meta-analysis (BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med 2020) (abstract; DOI 10.1136/bmjsem-2019-000614, PubMed 32426160, read 23 Oct 2026): 29 studies, 1,012 participants; no evidence massage improves strength, jump, sprint, endurance or fatigue; small but statistically significant improvements in flexibility and DOMS.
- The routine table and the safety advice are NYUS's own reading, not from a trial. App behaviour checked in the NYUS app on 23 Oct 2026.