Recovery Balm for Runners
Formulated by a board-certified neurologist
The advice was simple: stop running. So a neurologist made a balm instead.
Dr. Doug Strobel brewed it in his own kitchen to keep his feet on the road. Today runners massage it into the knees, calves and feet that carry every mile.
Get Recovery Balm
Two minutes after the workout. Knee first, then 5 inches above and below.
01 / Sound familiar?
The run was great. The stairs the next morning, less so.
You did the miles. Maybe a long run, maybe hill repeats, maybe a race you trained months for. Then the knees start talking on the way down the stairs, the calves feel like rope, and your feet remind you of every step.
You've tried the drawer. The menthol rub that burns, smells for hours and is gone by lunch. The gel that sits on top of your skin. The tube you used twice.
Dr. Doug knows that morning well. A few years ago, it almost ended his running for good.
02 / The person behind the balm
Rest. Stop running. He wasn't having it.
Dr. Doug Strobel is a board-certified neurologist and an adventure athlete. When foot pain started cutting his runs short, he tried everything he was offered. The advice that kept coming back was the one a runner never wants to hear: rest, and stop running.
As a neurologist, he also knew what stopping costs a body. So he went looking for another way. He read everything he could find on arnica, ordered dried organic arnica flowers and brewed the oil on his own stove, almost like a tea. Then he added magnesium and started massaging it in after every run.
He never stopped running. And every morning since, before his socks and shoes go on, he massages it in from his knees to his toes. That kitchen batch became Recovery Balm.
Natalie, Doug's co-founder, who runs the business side of the company, will not sell anything that leaves a print on the hardwood or a mark on the sheets. She tests it on her own floor.
"I completed two marathons in a month and used this every step of the way. It truly minimizes aches and pains."
Rachel B. · verified purchase · Recovery Balm03 / Why this one
Made to massage in, not sit on top.
Recovery Balm pairs organic arnica with magnesium in a rich base of organic oils, shea butter and beeswax. It has no menthol burn and no medicine-cabinet smell, just a light scent of the organic peppermint and lavender essential oils. Most people feel little or no cooling.
It isn't tacky and it doesn't stay sticky. Massage it until it disappears, and your socks go right back on.
The 2.5 oz twist-up lives in the gym bag. The 8 oz jar lives at home.
04 / Recovery or Magnesium?
Dr. Doug's rule for picking a balm.
Plenty of runners use both, the way Andrea does:
"I use both magnesium and recovery balm at night before bed. I apply the recovery balm to my knees, shoulder and lower back and magnesium to my legs since they are prone to cramping."
Andrea M. · verified purchase · Recovery Balm05 / After your run
Two minutes. Then get on with your day.
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1Start small.Scoop a little from the jar with the wooden paddle and warm it between your palms.
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2Use the 5 inch rule.Massage it into the spot that bothers you and at least 5 inches above and below it, all the way around the knee or ankle. Still feel the oils? Use less next time.
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3Reach for it as often as you need.After a run, before a long day on your feet, or at bedtime. There are no timing rules.
"I am so happy someone recommended Recovery for the aches in my legs."
Ken Y. · verified purchase · Recovery Balm06 / Know what you're reaching for
What's in the jar
Full ingredient list: Organic Olive Oil, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Beeswax, Organic Arnica Montana, Organic Shea Butter, Magnesium Chloride, Vitamin E, Organic Peppermint and Lavender Essential Oils.
New to essential oils? Try a small spot first.
07 / Your recovery jar
Keep it where you lace up.
The 8 oz jar is the at-home size. It sits by the door or the foam roller, and the wooden paddle comes with it.
Large jar · 8 oz · wooden paddle included
$60.00
Add the 8 oz jar to cart
100% Happiness Guarantee. Reach out to us within 90 days and we are happy to make it right. For orders on drdougs.com.
08 / Before your next run
Questions runners ask
Is it greasy?
Dr. Doug formulated it to absorb completely into the skin. You'll feel the coconut oil and olive oil as you massage it in, and then it leaves your skin soft and smooth. Start small. Still feel the oils? Use less next time. The magic happens when you massage it in.
Will it feel cold or hot like a menthol rub?
No. There's a light scent of organic peppermint and lavender essential oils, and most people feel little or no cooling. What you'll notice is the massage.
Should I get Recovery or Magnesium?
Dr. Doug's rule: knees, ankles and feet after impact and miles, reach for Recovery. Tight muscles, cramping calves and winding down at night, reach for Magnesium. Many runners keep both.
When should I use it?
Whenever you need it. After a run, before a long day on your feet, at bedtime. Dr. Doug uses it every morning before his socks and shoes go on. Reapply as often as you like.
What if it's not for me?
Tell us within 90 days and we'll make it right. That's our 100% Happiness Guarantee on drdougs.com orders. Reply to any email we send and a real person answers. Usually Natalie.
A topical balm for massage and skin nourishment. Not a drug or medical treatment. Dr. Doug's balms are cosmetic products and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Individual experiences vary. Customer reviews shown are real, unedited except for length, and reflect those customers' own experiences.