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.
- A++2016
Ultra-weak photon emission of hands in aging prediction
Xin Zhao, Eduard van Wijk, Yu Yan, Roeland van Wijk, Huanming Yang, Yan Zhang, Jian WangThis study, for which a full summary is not yet available, appears to investigate the relationship between ultra-weak photon emissions from the hands and the biological aging process. The title suggests researchers expl…
AgingbiophotonsUltra-weak photon emissionModel prediction - A++2016
Three Case Reports of Successful Vibration Therapy of the Plantar Fascia for Spasticity Due to Cerebral Palsy-Like Syndrome, Fetal-Type Minamata Disease
Fusako Usuki, Satsuki TohyamaThis series of case reports describes the long-term effects of vibration therapy on lower-limb spasticity in three patients with fetal-type Minamata disease, a condition with symptoms similar to cerebral palsy. Research…
spasticityvibration therapyFDM - A++2016
Effects of matrix rhythm therapy on primary lymphedema: a case report
Ayse Neriman Narin, Ayse Zengin Alpozgen, Hilal Denizoglu KulliThis case report investigated the effects of Matrix Rhythm Therapy on a 36-year-old woman with primary lymphedema in her left leg. She received 20 sessions of the therapy over four weeks, applied to the affected leg, sp…
Matrix Rhythm TherapyLower limbPrimary lymphedema - A++2016
Efficacy and tolerability of an undenatured type II collagen supplement in modulating knee osteoarthritis symptoms: a multicenter randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study
James P Lugo, Zainulabedin M Saiyed, Nancy E LaneThis randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluated the effects of undenatured type II collagen (UC-II) on symptoms of knee osteoarthritis. Over a 180-day period, 191 volunteers received either 40 mg of UC…
osteoarthritisKnee functionT regulatorycellUndenaturedtype II collagen - A++2016
Amelioration of estrogen deficiency-induced obesity by collagen hydrolysate
Tsay-I Chiang, I-Chang Chang, Hsueh-Hui Lee, Kuang Hui Hsieh, Yung-Wei Chiu, Te-Jen Lai, Jer-Yuh Liu, Li-Sung Hsu, Shao…This animal study on rats investigated how collagen hydrolysate supplementation might affect the weight gain often associated with estrogen deficiency, similar to menopause. Researchers found that rats receiving collage…
Collagen; Obesity; estrogen deficiency - A++2016
Whole-Body and Local Muscle Vibration Immediately Improve Quadriceps Function in Individuals With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Derek N Pamukoff, Brian Pietrosimone, Michael D Lewek, Eric D Ryan, Paul S Weinhold, Dustin R Lee, J Troy BlackburnThis randomized crossover trial investigated the immediate effects of vibration on quadriceps function in individuals with a prior anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Twenty participants performed isometric…
Musclevibrationsligament injury - A++2016
Microbiota-dependent sequelae of acute infection compromise tissue-specific immunity
Denise Morais da Fonseca, Timothy W Hand, Seong-Ji Han, Michael Y Gerner, Arielle Glatman Zaretsky, Allyson L Byrd, Oli…A single acute infection can have long-term consequences for tissue-specific immunity, even after the pathogen is cleared. This study found that following a gut infection with Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, sustained infl…
Gut microbiome / Immunity - A++2016
Reduced diversity and altered composition of the gut microbiome in individuals with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome
Ludovic Giloteaux, Julia K. Goodrich, William A. Walters, Susan M. Levine, Ruth E. Ley, Maureen R. HansonResearchers investigated the gut microbiome and blood markers of inflammation in people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Compared to healthy controls, individuals with ME/CFS had reduced…
inflammationChronic fatigue syndromeMyalgic encephalomyelitisLipopolysaccharidesMicrobiome - A++2016
Can fascia’s characteristics be influenced by manual therapy
Serge GracovetskyThis theoretical essay investigates the fundamental properties of collagen, a key component of fascia. The author explores how manual therapy might relate to the necessity of maintaining collagen's strength under load.…
Collagen; Models; MMP; Water - A++2016
Fascial hierarchies and the relevance of crossed-helical arrangements of collagen to changes in shape; part II: The proposed effect of blood pressure (Traube-Hering-Mayer) waves on the fascia
Graham ScarrPeriodic changes in blood pressure, known as Traube-Hering-Mayer waves, are linked to respiration and nervous system activity. While complex and not fully understood, they can provide valuable clinical information. This…
Arterial pressure waveform; Collagen; Cranial rhythmic impulse; Fascia; Helix; Interstitial fluid flow; Mayer waves; Myofascia; Traube Hering - A++2016
The effect of an active vibration stimulus according to different shoulder joint angles on functional reach and stability of the shoulder joint
Eun-Kyung Kim, Seong-Gil KimThis study investigated how active vibration exercise with a Flexi-Bar at different shoulder angles affected shoulder joint function and stability in 30 healthy male students. Participants were divided into three groups…
Active vibration stimulusFlexi-BarShoulder joint angle - A++2016
Myofascial triggerpoint release (MTR) for treating chronic shoulder pain: A novel approach
Christopher-Marc Gordon, Frank Andrasik, Robert Schleip, Niels Birbaumer, Massimiliano ReaThis study evaluated a specific manual therapy, myofascial trigger point release (MTR), for chronic shoulder pain. Twenty-three participants received four 10-minute sessions over two weeks, applied only to their more pa…
Algometer; Chronic shoulder pain; Myofascial triggerpoint release; Myometer; Quality of life; Stress. - A++2016
Estrogen and Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Ling Zhou, Anna Junjie Shangguan, Stacy Ann Kujawa, Katarzyna Bochenska, Lanmei Zhang, Serdar E Bulun, Hong ZhaoThis narrative review explores the relationship between estrogen and pelvic organ prolapse (POP), a condition where pelvic organs descend from their normal positions. Research suggests that low estrogen levels, particul…
Pelvic organ prolapse; Estrogen; Estrogen receptor; Collagen; Matrix metalloproteinases - A++2016
Ultra-weak photon emission in healthy subjects and patients with type 2 diabetes: evidence for a non-invasive diagnostic tool
Meina Yang, Wenyu Ding, Yanli Liu, Hua Fan, Rajendra P Bajpai, Jialei Fu, Jingxiang Pang, Xiaolei Zhao, Jinxiang HanAll living organisms emit extremely faint light, known as ultra-weak photon emission (UPE). This study investigated whether these light emissions differ between healthy individuals and people with type 2 diabetes. Resea…
fasciaphoton emissionbiological systemspathological statesUE - A++2015
Estrogen inhibits lysyl oxidase and decreases mechanical function in engineered ligaments
Cassandra A Lee, Ann Lee-Barthel, Louise Marquino, Natalie Sandoval, George R Marcotte, Keith BaarThis lab study investigated why women are more likely to rupture their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) than men, focusing on the role of estrogen. Researchers used human ACL cells to create engineered ligaments in a la…
ACL; exercise; tendon; ultimate tensile strength - A++2015
The Effects of Vibration and Muscle Fatigue on Trunk Sensorimotor Control in Low Back Pain Patients
Jean-Alexandre Boucher, Jacques Abboud, François Nougarou, Martin C Normand, Martin DescarreauxThis study compared trunk muscle control between people with chronic low back pain (cLBP) and healthy individuals. Researchers found that the cLBP group was less accurate at reproducing a specific amount of force with t…
fascialow back painmuscle fatiguevibration - A++2015
Effects of plant sterols derived from Aloe vera gel on human dermal fibroblasts in vitro and on skin condition in Japanese women
Miyuki Tanaka, Eriko Misawa, Koji Yamauchi, Fumiaki Abe, Chiaki IshizakiThis study investigated how plant sterols from Aloe vera gel affect the skin, using both laboratory tests on human skin cells (fibroblasts) and a clinical trial with women. In the lab, these sterols were found to stimul…
oral supplementationaloe sterol; collagen; wrinkle - A++2015
Influence of different intensities of vibration on proliferation and differentiation of human periodontal ligament stem cells
Chunxiang Zhang, Yanqin Lu, Linkun Zhang, Yang Liu, Yi Zhou, Yangxi Chen, Haiyang YuIn this laboratory study, researchers investigated how low-magnitude, high-frequency vibration affects stem cells from the human periodontal ligament, the tissue that holds teeth in the jaw. The results suggest that vib…
Proliferationmechanical vibrationperiodontal ligament stem cellsosteogenesismagnitude - A++2015
BioTensegrity Fascia and the fallacy of biomechanics. Part 1
John SharkeyThis conceptual article introduces Biotensegrity as an emerging model for understanding human anatomy. It challenges traditional biomechanics by viewing the body as a continuous tensional network in which fascia plays a…
biotensegrityBiomechanics - A++2015
BioTensegrity Fascia and the fallacy of biomechanics, Part 2.
John SharkeyIn this conceptual article, the second in a series, the author introduces BioTensegrity as an alternative to classical biomechanics. He argues that traditional models of animal and human movement, which date back to the…
biotensegrityBiomechanics - A++2015
Meralgia paresthetica caused by entrapment of the lateral femoral subcutaneous nerve at the fascia lata of the thigh: a case report and literature review
Yasuyuki Omichi, Ichiro Tonogai, Shinsuke Kaji, Teruaki Sangawa, Koichi SairyoThis case report and literature review describe an unusual presentation of meralgia paresthetica, a condition causing numbness and pain in the outer thigh. While the condition typically involves nerve entrapment at the…
nerve entrapment - A++2015
Glycine improves biochemical and biomechanical properties following inflammation of the achilles tendon
Cristiano Pedrozo Vieira, Letícia Prado De Oliveira, Flávia Da Ré Guerra, Marcos Dos Santos De Almeida, Maria Cristina…This animal study investigated the effect of the amino acid glycine on inflamed Achilles tendons in rats. Researchers induced inflammation and then fed one group of rats a diet supplemented with 5% glycine. After 22 day…
achilles tendon; extracellular matrix; glycine; inflammatory process; tendinopathy. - A++2015
Neurovisceral phenotypes in the expression of psychiatric symptoms
Jessica A Eccles, Andrew P Owens, Christopher J Mathias, Satoshi Umeda, Hugo D CritchleyThis narrative review explores the idea that vulnerability to anxiety may be rooted in inherent physical differences in how the body is regulated. The authors focus on conditions like joint hypermobility, Postural Tachy…
joint hypermobilityAnxietypostural tachycardia syndromevasovagal syncopepsychiatry - A++2015
Size Matters: Molecular Weight Specificity of Hyaluronan Effects in Cell Biology
Jaime M Cyphert, Carol S Trempus, Stavros GarantziotisThis narrative review summarizes current knowledge about hyaluronan, a molecule whose biological effects are dependent on its size. Unlike many other molecules, hyaluronan's signaling properties are determined not by ch…
hyaluronanCell signalingmolecular size - A++2015
Telocytes in regenerative medicine
Yihua Bei, Fei Wang, Changqing Yang, Junjie XiaoThis 2015 review article summarizes research on telocytes, a distinct type of cell found in the connective tissue of many organs. These cells form a complex 3D network and are thought to play a key role in guiding stem…
interstitial cells; progenitor cells; regeneration; regenerative medicine; stem cells; telocytes. - A++2015
Fruit, vegetable and vitamin C intakes and plasma vitamin C: cross-sectional associations with insulin resistance and glycaemia in 9-10 year-old children
A S Donin, J E Dent, C M Nightingale, N Sattar, C G Owen, A R Rudnicka, M R Perkin, A M Stephen, S A Jebb, D G Cook, P…This cross-sectional study of over 2000 children in the UK examined the relationship between vitamin C and risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Researchers found that higher levels of vitamin C in the blood were associated…
Vitamin Cinsulin resistensglycaemiadiabetes type 2