Lorraine Kelly
Britain has become a nation of small winces. The sort you do while tying your shoes, lifting a bag, or standing up from a chair like it’s a deep squat in disguise. And if you’ve noticed muscle aches creeping into your mornings or clinging to you after long days, you’re in crowded company.
New research commissioned by Puressentiel (the plant-based wellness brand) suggests 55% of Brits have experienced muscle aches and pain, 48% have dealt with joint aches and pains, and 28% have suffered pulled muscles. Not exactly the national anthem, but it is a national chorus: “Oof.”
The everyday triggers behind pain
Injuries are the obvious culprits—sprains, strains, knocks, bumps. But the more interesting villains are the ones that don’t announce themselves with drama.
Dr Tim Bond, a natural health specialist and researcher from the Puressentiel expert hub, points to a broad and very modern list of triggers:
“These include ageing, which can cause stiffness as connective tissue and the cartilage between joints wears down, intense exercise and repetitive movements including running, poor posture and even anxiety, which can cause pain as muscles remain tense. Muscle and joint pain can make movement uncomfortable plus it can disrupt sleep and general life.”
In other words: life. The years, the miles, the desk, the stress, the same movement done too often, the wrong movement done for too long.
The sitting problem: modern comfort, ancient consequences
If you want a single habit to put in the dock, it’s prolonged sitting—our favourite national pastime after complaining about the weather.
Puressentiel’s data suggests a high four in ten Brits sometimes feel they spend too much time sitting, and one in three often feel that way. During the working week, 29% say they sit for three to four hours, with 24% spending five to eight hours seated. On weekends, one in 20 don’t move at all.
And here comes the irony: inactivity can tighten muscles, yet pain itself can keep people inactive.
Dr Nisa Aslam, GP and part of the Puressentiel expert hub, puts it plainly: “We know that being inactive can cause muscles to tense up but it’s a bit of a catch-22 as for a quarter (24%) of Brits, an injury is getting in the way of them being active.”
It’s a loop—stiffness discourages movement, lack of movement breeds more stiffness—until “a niggle” becomes a lifestyle.
Where it hurts most: the national map of aches
If Britain had a pain weather forecast, the lower back would be permanently under storm warnings.
Over half of Brits (56%) report lower back pain, 53% feel it in their legs, 37% in their shoulders, and 29% in the neck. Lower back pain is the most common recurring complaint (42%), followed by leg pain (20%). These are not rare edge cases; they’re the mainstream.
And the stakes aren’t just comfort. They’re capability.
Dr Tim Bond warns against waving off discomfort as “just one of those things”: “It’s important not to ignore aches and pains as minor niggles could develop into something worse, reducing mobility. But, being mobile now and putting practices in place to stay flexible, can help you to move more comfortably as you age.
“Only a third (35%) of Brits worry about mobility issues now and in the future, yet research[2] has found that older adults who lose their mobility are less likely to remain living at home, they have higher rates of disease, disability and death plus, they generally have a poorer quality of life.”
That’s the real headline: mobility is freedom, and it’s easier to protect than to rebuild.
Heat vs cold: what each therapy actually does
When muscle aches strike, most people reach for whatever’s closest—heat pad, ice pack, a hot shower, a cold compress—without much strategy. But thermotherapy and cryotherapy aren’t interchangeable.
- Thermotherapy (heat) can increase blood flow and help deliver nutrients to a targeted area—useful for stiffness and tension.
- Cryotherapy (cold) can reduce swelling and ease pain, particularly after strains, sprains, knocks, or bumps.
Think of heat as “loosening” and cold as “calming.” The trick is matching the tool to the type of discomfort.
The product angle: what Puressentiel is offering (and why)
Puressentiel is leaning hard into a full “Muscles & Joints” toolkit—heat balms, roll-ons, patches, gels, cooling products, and a sport massage oil—positioned as plant-based, essential-oil-driven alternatives for everyday soreness.
Thermotherapy picks: where heat products fit
Dr Tim Bond recommends the NEW Puressentiel Muscle & Joints Pure Heat Balm: “This is ideal for stiff muscles with 14, 100% pure and natural essential oils, such as Cajeput, Wintergreen, Peppermint and Rosemary Camphor and three warming active ingredients: natural camphor, organic Capsicum -red pepper and vanilla extract – VBE.”
Puressentiel says the balm also contains shea butter and sunflower oil, and is free from preservatives, parabens, colourants, synthetic fragrance, mineral oils, alcohol and petroleum. The pitch: massage it in, warm the area, release tension—portable relief for those “why is my back doing this?” moments.
Other heat options in the range include:
- NEW Puressentiel Muscles & Joints Pure Heat Roll-On (aimed at hard-to-reach spots, with essential oils plus plant extracts like Arnica and Harpagophytum)
- NEW Puressentiel Muscles & Joints Pure Heat Patches (designed to provide warmth for eight hours)
- NEW Puressentiel Muscles & Joints Pure Heat Gel (for larger areas such as thighs and back, with a heating effect lasting up to two hours)
Cryotherapy picks: where cold products fit
For cooling relief, the range includes:
- NEW Puressentiel Muscles & Joints Cryo Pure Roll-on (a roller ball format intended for shoulders, neck, knees, and ankles)
- NEW Puressentiel Muscle & Joint CryoPure Patches (a cooling patch option)
Dr Tim Bond highlights a practical point—duration and discretion: “They offer a long-lasting cooling effect, helping to relieve pain for up to four hours, plus, they can be cut to size to fit whichever body part is in pain. These patches also remain discreet under clothing and have a fresh pleasant scene thanks to natural menthol.”
There’s also a Puressentiel Muscles & Joints Gel positioned as “science-backed,” with Puressentiel citing research involving chronic knee osteoarthritis sufferers where twice-daily application for four weeks reduced perceived pain by more than 50%, plus over a 30% reduction in WOMAC score (pain, stiffness, and function).
And for exercise-related tightness, Puressentiel points to the NEW Puressentiel Muscle & Joint 100% Organic Sport Massage Oil, plus the Puressentiel Muscles & Joints Roller for daily, on-the-go use.
Practical reality check: what this range seems best at
This is where it helps to be honest—because trust is the only currency in pain relief.
What these formats do well, in real-world terms:
- Targeted application (roll-ons and rollers for neck/shoulder/knee/ankle hotspots)
- Convenience and compliance (patches you can wear; a balm you can throw in a bag)
- Routine support for common muscle aches linked to stiffness, desk posture, repetitive movement, or post-exercise tightness
- Heat/cold “signal” that can change how an area feels quickly (warming or cooling sensation can be meaningful when you’re uncomfortable)
What they don’t do (and shouldn’t pretend to):
- Replace assessment for persistent, severe, or worsening pain
- Magically fix poor posture, overtraining, under-recovery, or chronic inactivity on their own
Pros and cons
Pros
- Multiple delivery formats (balm, gel, roll-on, patches, oil) to match different pain areas and routines
- Heat and cold options, allowing more tailored self-care for stiffness vs swelling
- Portable, “use it when you need it” positioning—useful for busy days and travel
- Puressentiel emphasises plant-based formulations and “free from” claims that some consumers prioritise
Cons
- Essential-oil-based products can be divisive for sensitive skin or fragrance sensitivity
- Sensation (warm/cool) isn’t the same as long-term resolution—habit change still matters
- If pain is persistent, recurrent, or escalating, products can risk becoming a delay tactic rather than a bridge to proper care
Who is this best for?
- Desk workers with neck/shoulder tightness and posture-related muscle aches
- Active people who get stiff after training and want a simple heat/cold routine
- Anyone who prefers topical options (and likes the “targeted” feel of roll-ons/patches)
- People building a mobility habit who want supportive tools, not miracle promises
Is it worth it?
If your aches are the common, everyday kind—stiffness, tension, post-activity soreness—heat and cold therapies can be sensible, low-drama additions to your routine. The Puressentiel range is essentially a menu of formats designed to make that routine easier to stick to.
The bigger point, though, is this: products can help you feel better, but movement helps you stay better. The best “value” isn’t the balm itself—it’s what it enables: a walk you would have skipped, a stretch you didn’t dread, a night’s sleep not interrupted by that familiar lower-back muttering.
Dr Nisa Aslam sums up the intent of the range without pretending it’s magic: “Muscle and joint aches and pains are clearly a burden for much of the nation, but they don’t need to be. Stopping pain in its tracks can help you to live life comfortably, and this is where the fantastic range of Puressentiel products come in.
From hot and cold therapy to other science-backed products, this natural range is ideal at any point throughout the day to help relieve you of pain.”
And maybe that’s the fairest takeaway: if Britain is going to keep collecting muscle aches the way it collects streaming subscriptions, we could at least be more strategic about how we deal with them—early, sensibly, and with an eye on the one thing that matters most in the long run.
Your movement. Your independence. Your life, lived without wincing at the laces.
