Great thread, and welcome to the community Relaxed!I use a variety of pain lotions ---- for clients who are tight tight tight and need to go to the chiropractor immediately after their massage, I use Prossage Heat ---I think it warms the tissues nicely so I can get things loose enough for their adjustment. The chiropractor seems happy with the results, as do his clients.Also use Prossage on folks with arthritis ---- just be careful to only use the recommended 2-3 drops. That's really enough! I can even do NMT with Prossage --- less slip, more ability to stick right to the precise spot I am working on!For post training work with athletes, I still use Biofreeze. I find that if I do several sessions back to back with it, however, my hands stay cold and achey for too long ---- even with thorough hand washing between clients, of course! Probably not a bad thing --- and possibly even helpful to my hands, but it feels like I am putting ice sticks of fingers on the next few clients --- not my first choice for a beginning of a new session!For the ankylosing spondylitis guy, I use regular lotion for the work, and apply an Arnica gel after. He's more of a homeopathic remedy kind of client, and likes a brand of Arnica he was used to in Switzerland ---Boiron. I love it. It has a scent, not menthol but kind of earthy and herby ( if that is clear). Not unpleasant to me. Evidently in Europe they have Arnica gel in their medicine cabinets like we have advil, etc.Another massage therapist used Sombra on me after a 2 hour trade ---- I needed it, and it was very effective. I haven't bought any yet, but will.Hope that helps. It's my two cents worth, anyway!Linda in NC