A method of improving the fatigue life of a superelastic medical device includes applying a compressive stress to a fatigue critical location of a medical device comprising a superelastic nickel-titanium alloy, where the compressive stress induces a compressive strain of greater than 9% in the fatigue critical location. After inducing the compressive strain, the compressive stress is released. A tensile stress is applied to the fatigue critical location of the medical device, where the tensile stress induces a tensile strain of greater than 9% in the fatigue critical location. After inducing the tensile strain, the tensile stress is released. After application and release of each of the compressive stress and the tensile stress, the fatigue critical location includes a non-zero amount of residual strain, and the medical device may exhibit improved fatigue properties.
