Research.
Every peer-reviewed study on fascia in one place — graded for strength of evidence, summarised in plain language for clinicians, researchers, and curious patients.
We grade studies from A to 1A+++ using the Fascia Research Database rubric — 1A+++ is the strongest.
Development of a biotensegrity focused therapy for the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse: A retrospective case series
This retrospective case series explores a new biotensegrity-focused therapy for pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Challenging the common view that POP is caused by weak tissue, this approach hypothesizes that the condition i…
Characterization of bony changes localized to the cervical articular processes in a mixed population of horses
This observational cross-sectional study characterized bony changes in the cervical articular processes of 55 horses without primary complaints of neck pain. The researchers found that 72% of the examined joints exhibit…
The Stomach’s Communication with Its Related Acupoints, and the “Intelligent Tissue” Hypothesis
This study explores the "intelligent tissue" hypothesis, which suggests that an organ's functional state is reflected in real-time at specific acupuncture points. By monitoring electrical impedance at six stomach-relate…
Role of fasciae around the median nerve in pathogenesis of carpal tunnel syndrome: microscopic and ultrasound study
This study investigated the connection between the median nerve and its surrounding fascia in carpal tunnel syndrome. Using microscopic analysis of tissue samples and ultrasound imaging of both healthy subjects and pati…
Stress Relaxation and Targeted Nutrition to Treat Patellar Tendinopathy
This case study outlines the rehabilitation of a professional basketball player with patellar tendinopathy. The athlete undertook a program combining gelatin ingestion with heavy isometric loading of the patellar tendon…
A History of Fascia
This historiographic review surveys how the anatomical term "fascia" has been portrayed throughout history. The authors found that its meaning has varied considerably during the 400 years the term has been used in Engli…
Fascial Entrapment Neuropathy
This narrative review explores how fascia can contribute to nerve entrapment syndromes, which cause pain, sensory abnormalities, and weakness. The authors describe how nerves are surrounded by a microenvironment of conn…
Vitamin C Inhibits Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Metastasis by Affecting the Expression of YAP1 and Synaptopodin 2
In this study using cell cultures and animal models, researchers investigated how vitamin C might inhibit the spread of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). They found that vitamin C, at concentrations achievable throu…
Effects of season long participation on ACL volume in female intercollegiate soccer athletes
This study investigated how a competitive season affects the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in female collegiate soccer players. Researchers used MRI scans to measure ACL volume in 17 athletes before and after their s…
Hyaluronic Acid: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Trajectory
This narrative review explores hyaluronic acid (HA), a naturally occurring substance found in connective tissues and synovial fluid. HA is essential for joint lubrication and viscoelasticity, but its concentration and m…
High Cortisol and the Risk of Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease: A Review of the Literature
This literature review examines the relationship between the stress hormone cortisol and the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The research suggests that chronically elevated cortisol levels may have deleterious…
Oral Supplementation of Specific Collagen Peptides Combined with Calf-Strengthening Exercises Enhances Function and Reduces Pain in Achilles Tendinopathy Patients
This pilot study investigated whether supplementing with specific collagen peptides could improve symptoms for patients with chronic Achilles tendinopathy. Participants combined a calf-strengthening program with either…
Local Vibration Stimuli Induce Mechanical Stress-Induced Factors and Facilitate Recovery From Immobilization-Induced Oxidative Myofiber Atrophy in Rats
This study on rats investigated whether local vibration could help muscles recover after being immobilized. Researchers put a cast on one hindlimb of the rats for a week to induce muscle atrophy. After removing the cast…
Ketogenic Diet and Microbiota: Friends or Enemies
This narrative review explores the relationship between the very low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet (VLCKD) and the gut microbiota. The community of microbes in our gut is a dynamic entity known to play a fundamental role…
Fascial neuromodulation: an emerging concept linking acupuncture, fasciology, osteopathy and neuroscience
This conceptual paper presents a model called "fascial neuromodulation" to explain how therapies like acupuncture might work. The author suggests that mechanical signals through the fascial network can influence the ner…
Mitochondrial superoxide anions induced by exogenous oxidative stress determine tumor cell fate: an individual cell-based study
In this cell-based study, researchers investigated how external oxidative stress affects individual lung cancer cells. They found that applying a stressor like hydrogen peroxide caused a rapid increase in reactive oxyge…
Observation using thermography of post-operative reaction after fascial manipulation®
This study investigated whether Fascial Manipulation® causes a local increase in skin temperature, which is theorized to be part of its mechanism. Researchers used a thermal-imaging camera to measure skin temperature in…
A prophylactic effect of local vibration on quadriceps muscle fatigue in non-athletic males: a randomized controlled trial study
This randomized controlled trial investigated whether local vibration could prevent muscle fatigue. Thirty healthy, non-athletic young men were divided into two groups: one received two minutes of vibration on their qua…
8 natural supplements to help fight inflammation
Inflammation is a natural response to injury or infection, but when it becomes chronic, it can lead to long-term pain and tissue damage. This article reviews several natural supplements that may help the body manage chr…
A Collagen Supplement Improves Skin Hydration, Elasticity, Roughness, and Density: Results of a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Blind Study
This randomized, placebo-controlled study investigated the effects of a drinkable nutraceutical containing 2.5g of collagen peptides, vitamins, and minerals on skin health in women aged 35 and older. Over twelve weeks,…
Fascial organisation of motor synergies: a hypothesis
This hypothesis paper explores how fascia helps organize movement through what are known as motor synergies. It suggests that instead of the brain controlling every muscle individually, the fascial system acts as a phys…
Vitamin C Can Shorten the Length of Stay in the ICU: A Meta-Analysis
This meta-analysis reviewed data from 18 controlled trials involving over 2000 patients to assess if vitamin C affects the length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU). The results suggest that vitamin C supplementat…
Effect of Vitamin C Infusion on Organ Failure and Biomarkers of Inflammation and Vascular Injury in Patients With Sepsis and Severe Acute Respiratory Failure
This randomized controlled trial investigated whether intravenous vitamin C could help patients with sepsis and severe acute respiratory failure. Researchers gave 167 patients either a high-dose vitamin C infusion or a…
Acute Effects of Static Stretching on Muscle Strength and Power: An Attempt to Clarify Previous Caveats
This narrative review examines how static stretching affects subsequent strength and power. While static stretching was once thought to hinder performance, recent evidence suggests the duration of the stretch is the cri…
Role of the immune system in vascular function and blood pressure control induced by faecal microbiota transplantation in rats
This animal study investigated the link between gut bacteria, the immune system, and blood pressure in rats. Researchers transplanted gut microbiota between spontaneously hypertensive rats and rats with normal blood pre…
Low-frequency vibrotherapy considerably improves the effectiveness of manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) in patients with lipedema: A two-armed, randomized, controlled pragmatic trial
This randomized controlled trial investigated the effect of adding low-frequency vibrotherapy to manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) for 30 women with stage 2–3 lipedema. Participants were randomly assigned to receive eithe…
Subcutaneous adipose tissue therapy reduces fat by dual X-ray absorptiometry scan and improves tissue structure by ultrasound in women with lipoedema and Dercum disease
This small study investigated a non-surgical therapy for subcutaneous adipose tissue in seven women with lipoedema or Dercum disease. Over four weeks of treatment, participants experienced significant reductions in weig…
Low intensity vibration increases cartilage thickness in obese mice
This animal study investigated if a high-fat diet affected cartilage thickness in mice and if low-intensity vibration (LIV) could offer protection. Contrary to expectations, the high-fat diet alone did not significantly…
Release of fascial compartment boundaries reduces muscle force output
In this animal study, researchers investigated how the fascial sheets that enclose muscles affect their function. They surgically removed the fascia from a wing muscle in wild turkeys to see how it changed the muscle's…
Ascorbic acid in cancer treatment: let the phoenix fly
This review article discusses the renewed interest in Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) as a potential anti-cancer agent. When administered intravenously, Vitamin C can reach much higher concentrations in the body than when tak…
Various stem cells in acupuncture meridians and points and their putative roles
This narrative review explores the connection between acupuncture points and an anatomical network known as the Primo Vascular System (PVS). Formerly called the Bong-Han system, the PVS consists of microscopic vessels a…
Assessment of pain quality reveals distinct differences between nociceptive innervation of low back fascia and muscle in humans
This study explored whether pain from low back muscles is perceived differently than pain from the overlying fascia. Researchers used electrical stimulation in 16 healthy participants, who then described the induced pai…
The Impedance Profile of Acupuncture Points
This study investigated real-time electrical impedance (resistance) at acupuncture points in a single subject. The researcher observed that when impedance decreased at the center of a point, it often increased at a loca…
Emerging Therapies for Spastic Movement Disorders
Spasticity following a central nervous system injury can cause muscle stiffness, partly due to secondary changes in muscles and connective tissue. The 'hyaluronan hypothesis' suggests that an accumulation of hyaluronan,…
Bone is fascia
This entry, based on its title alone, proposes a conceptual link between bone and fascia. Without an abstract or full text, the specific arguments made by the author remain unclear. The title 'Bone is fascia' suggests a…
Biomechanical findings in horses showing asymmetrical vertical excursions of the withers at walk
This study investigated movement patterns in seven sound high-level dressage horses to understand why the withers move asymmetrically at a walk. Researchers found that vertical asymmetry in the withers was not caused by…
Biotensegrity-Anatomy for the 21st Century Informing Yoga and Physiotherapy Concerning New Findings in Fascia Research
This short article discusses how a new view of anatomy, called biotensegrity, is changing our understanding of the human body. This perspective focuses on fascia as a continuous, interconnected network that creates a un…
Female hormones: do they influence muscle and tendon protein metabolism?
This narrative review examines how female sex hormones, particularly estrogen, influence the metabolism of proteins in muscles and tendons. After menopause, declining hormone levels are associated with accelerated muscl…
Vitamin C – A new player in regulation of the cancer epigenome
This narrative review explores the emerging role of vitamin C in cancer treatment, particularly in relation to epigenetics. The authors note that vitamin C is crucial for enzymes that help regulate gene expression, and…
Touch, Tension, and Transduction - The Function and Regulation of Piezo Ion Channels
This narrative review explores Piezo1 and Piezo2, specialized proteins that act as the body's primary mechanical sensors. These ion channels convert physical forces like touch, tension, and fluid flow into electrical si…
Measuring ultra-weak photon emission as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for detecting early-stage type 2 diabetes: A step toward personalized medicine
This study investigated whether ultra-weak photon emission (UPE)—a very faint light emitted by the body—could help identify different subtypes of pre-diabetes. Researchers had practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medici…
Massage therapy research review
This review summarizes research showing beneficial effects of massage therapy for a wide range of conditions, including prenatal depression, pain syndromes, autoimmune conditions, and issues related to aging. The author…
Minimizing Injury and Maximizing Return to Play: Lessons from Engineered Ligaments
Musculoskeletal injuries are a primary reason for time away from sports, partly because our understanding of how training affects tendons and ligaments is limited. This study used engineered ligaments grown in a lab fro…
Vitamin C–enriched gelatin supplementation before intermittent activity augments collagen synthesis
In a small study involving eight healthy men, researchers investigated the effect of vitamin C-enriched gelatin supplementation before exercise. Participants who consumed 15 grams of gelatin one hour before a short, int…
NAD and the aging process: Role in life, death and everything in between
This narrative review explores the vital role of the molecule NAD in cellular health and the aging process. Beyond its traditional role in metabolism, NAD is essential for cell signaling and regulating the epigenetic st…
EFFECT OF MATRIX RHYTHM THERAPY (MRT) COMBINED WITH PHYSIOTHERAPY INTERVENTION IN FROZEN SHOULDER – A CASE REPORT
This case report describes the treatment of a 52-year-old man with a painful and stiff right shoulder, diagnosed as frozen shoulder. His condition also involved tendinosis, bursitis, and osteoarthritic changes. The pati…
Interaction between the gut microbiome and mucosal immune system
In this narrative review, the authors outline the two-way relationship between the gut microbiome and the mucosal immune system. A balanced microbiome is essential for the proper maturation and function of the immune sy…
Telocytes: Connective tissue repair and communication cells
This commentary highlights a newly identified type of connective tissue cell called a telocyte. We already know that other cells, like fibroblasts, respond to mechanical forces from manual therapy, influencing tissue re…
Spontaneous ultra-weak photon emission in correlation to inflammatory metabolism and oxidative stress in a mouse model of collagen-induced arthritis
In this animal study, researchers investigated a mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis using two techniques: metabolomics (the analysis of metabolic products) and ultra-weak photon emission (UPE), which measures extremely…
Biological effects of direct and indirect manipulation of the fascial system. Narrative review
This narrative review explores the biological effects of manual fascial therapies. While osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is clinically effective, its underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. The authors…
The effect of pre-exercise vibration stimulation on the exercise-induced muscle damage
This study investigated whether vibration stimulation before or after exercise could reduce exercise-induced muscle damage. Thirty healthy men were divided into three groups: one receiving vibration before exercise, one…
A New Definition of an Acupuncture Meridian
This perspective article proposes a new definition of acupuncture meridians, moving away from the idea of dedicated anatomical vessels. The author suggests that meridians are actually tracts of tissue that become affect…
Hypovitaminosis C and vitamin C deficiency in critically ill patients despite recommended enteral and parenteral intakes
This study investigated vitamin C levels in 44 critically ill patients in an intensive care unit (ICU). Researchers found that most patients had low vitamin C levels (hypovitaminosis C), and one-third were severely defi…
Oscillations of ultra-weak photon emission from cancer and noncancer cells stressed by culture medium change and TNF-alfa
All cells spontaneously emit a very faint light, known as ultra-weak photon emission (UPE). This study investigated how this light emission changes when different types of human cells, both cancerous and non-cancerous,…
Vitamin C and Immune Function
This narrative review explores the crucial role of Vitamin C in the human immune system. As a potent antioxidant, it supports various functions in both the innate and adaptive immune responses, from strengthening the sk…
Hydrocortisone, Vitamin C, and Thiamine for the Treatment of Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock: A Retrospective Before-After Study
In this retrospective before-after study, researchers investigated the effect of a combination therapy of intravenous vitamin C, hydrocortisone, and thiamine for patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. They compar…
Decorin and biglycan are necessary for maintaining collagen fibril structure, fiber realignment, and mechanical properties of mature tendons
This study on mice investigated the role of two molecules, decorin and biglycan, in maintaining healthy adult tendons. Researchers used a genetic model to remove these molecules from mature patellar tendons after they h…
Improvement of skin condition by oral administration of collagen hydrolysates in chronologically aged mice
This animal study investigated how oral supplementation of collagen hydrolysates derived from fish scales affected chronological skin aging in mice over six months. The researchers found that mice receiving collagen in…
Mitochondrial dysfunction in the APP/PSEN1 mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease and a novel protective role for ascorbate
In this animal study, researchers examined mitochondrial function in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease and in mice with low levels of vitamin C (ascorbate). The results indicated that both the presence of amyloid (as…
A Curious Oversight in Acupuncture Research
In this perspective article, the author argues that current acupuncture hypotheses overlook a crucial factor: the speed at which the treatment takes effect. Observations suggest that communication between acupoints and…