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++2011
Acne vulgaris, probiotics and the gut-brain-skin axis - back to the future?
Whitney P Bowe, Alan C LoganThis review article discusses a theory first proposed over 70 years ago connecting the gastrointestinal tract, the brain, and the skin. Researchers Stokes and Pillsbury hypothesized that emotional states like anxiety an…
acneprobioticsintestinal microfloragut-brain-skinbacteriotherapy - A++2010
Iron bioavailability and dietary reference values
Richard Hurrell, Ines EgliThis review discusses how the human body absorbs iron and how dietary reference values are determined. Since the body lacks a physiological mechanism to excrete excess iron, balance is maintained solely through intestin…
Iron uptake - A++2010
Biophotons as neural communication signals demonstrated by in situ biophoton autography
Yan Sun, Chao Wang, Jiapei DaiThis in vitro study on rat nerve tissue explored whether biophotons—extremely weak light emitted by living cells—could act as signals in the nervous system. Researchers stimulated one end of a spinal nerve root with var…
fasciabiophotonsultraweak photonsneural communication - A++2010
In Vitro Modeling of Repetitive Motion Injury and Myofascial Release
Kate R Meltzer, Thanh V Cao, Joseph F Schad, Hollis King, Scott T Stoll, Paul R StandleyIn this laboratory study, researchers investigated how human connective tissue cells (fibroblasts) respond to simulated repetitive motion strain and myofascial release (MFR). They found that applying a repetitive strain…
Cyclic strain; Human fibroblasts; Morphology; myofascial release; repetitive motion strain - A++2010
The Pelvic Crossed Syndromes: A reflection of imbalanced function in the myofascial envelope; a further exploration of Janda’s work
Josephine KeyThis article explores how the pelvis and spine are functionally interdependent. The sacrum and coccyx serve a dual role as the base of the spinal column and as part of the pelvic ring, requiring complex control. Coordin…
Back pain; Pelvic pain; Motor control; Posturo-movement dysfunction; Lumbo-pelvic-hip movement control; Therapeutic exercise; Core stability; Clinical sub-group classification - A++2009
Bonghan Circulatory System as an Extension of Acupuncture Meridians
Kwang-Sup SohThis article describes the Bonghan circulatory system (BHS), a network proposed in the 1960s to correspond with classical acupuncture meridians. After a long period of being overlooked, researchers have recently develop…
fasciacanceracupuncture meridianbonghan corpusclebonghan duct - A++2009
Imaging of Ultraweak Spontaneous Photon Emission from Human Body Displaying Diurnal Rhythm
Masaki Kobayashi, Daisuke Kikuchi, Hitoshi OkamuraThe human body emits an extremely faint light, about 1000 times dimmer than what our naked eyes can detect. This phenomenon, known as ultraweak photon emission, is thought to be linked to the body's energy metabolism. U…
fasciabiophotonsultraweak photonsdiurnal rhythm - A++2009
Structural Behavior of Highly Concentrated Hyaluronan
Paolo Matteini, Luigi Dei, Emiliano Carretti, Nicola Volpi, Andrea Goti, Roberto PiniResearchers investigated the behavior of highly concentrated hyaluronan (HA) in a physiological saline solution. They found that HA molecules can organize into stable, larger "superstructures." When heated, the fluid's…
hyaluronanHA structure - A++2009
Oxidative Stress and Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Review of Upstream and Downstream Antioxidant Therapeutic Options
Bayani Uttara, Ajay V Singh, Paolo Zamboni, R T MahajanThis review article explores the connection between oxidative stress and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The authors explain that an imbalance of free radicals, which are normal byproducts o…
Oxidative stressROSantioxidantsneurodegenerative diseasesrns - A++2008
Stability, continence and breathing: The role of fascia following pregnancy and delivery
D G Lee, L J Lee, L McLaughlinMany women experience pelvic girdle pain, incontinence, or breathing issues after pregnancy and delivery. This paper explores the role of the trunk's muscles and fascia in stability, continence, and respiration. The aut…
Linea alba; Diastasis rectus abdominis; Pelvic floor; Paravaginal defects; Breathing; Hypocapnia; fascia - A++2008
Humoral phototransduction: Light transportation in the blood, and possible biological effects
F Grass, S KasperIn this theoretical paper, researchers propose a model called 'humoral phototransduction' to explain how light might affect the body beyond the eyes. They observed that blood plasma, and particularly the protein albumin…
fasciabiophotonsultraweak photonshumoral phototransduction - A++2007
Ascorbate in pharmacologic concentrations selectively generates ascorbate radical and hydrogen peroxide in extracellular fluid in vivo
Qi Chen, Michael Graham Espey, Andrew Y Sun, Je-Hyuk Lee, Murali C Krishna, Emily Shacter, Peter L Choyke, Chaya Pooput…High-dose intravenous Vitamin C (ascorbate) can selectively kill some cancer cells without harming normal cells. Researchers have proposed this is because ascorbate acts as a prodrug, creating hydrogen peroxide and othe…
ascorbic acid " cancer " vitamin C " pharmacokinetics - A++2007
A suspensory system for the sacrum in pelvic mechanics: Biotensegrity
Stephen LevinThis 2007 publication by Stephen Levin, available only by title, appears to describe a model for understanding the mechanics of the pelvis. The title suggests a 'suspensory system' for the sacrum, framing its function w…
biotensegrityPelvisKinematicssacrummovement - A++2007
Expression of collagen and related growth factors in rat tendon and skeletal muscle in response to specific contraction types
K M Heinemeier, J L Olesen, F Haddad, H Langberg, M Kjaer, K M Baldwin, P SchjerlingIn this animal study, researchers investigated how different types of muscle contractions (concentric, eccentric, and isometric) affect the gene expression of collagen and related growth factors in rats. The results sho…
collagen synthesiseccentricconcentriccontraction typeisometric - A++2007
Interstitial Flow and Its Effects in Soft Tissues
Melody A Swartz, Mark E FleuryThis 2007 review article summarizes knowledge about interstitial flow, which is the movement of fluid in the spaces between cells in the body's soft tissues. The authors describe how this flow is critical for tissue dev…
mechanobiologyDrug deliverymorphogenesistransportpermeability - A++2006
Low-intensity tensile loading increases intratendinous glucose uptake in the Achilles tendon
J Bojsen-Møller, K K Kalliokoski, M Seppänen, M Kjaer, S P MagnussonTendons have traditionally been considered to have low metabolic activity, but this study investigated whether light loading could affect this. Six participants performed low-intensity, intermittent calf muscle contract…
tendon metabolism; tendon mechanical function; connective tissue; imaging - A++2006
Distribution and change of collagen types I and III and elastin in developing leg muscle in rat
Tomoyuki Kurose, Youko Asai, Emiko Mori, Daisuke Daitoku, Seiichi KawamataThis animal study on rats investigated how the connective tissue components collagen types I and III and elastin develop in leg muscles from birth to eight weeks of age. The results show that muscle connective tissue de…
CollagenMyofascia - A++2006
Quantum Events of Biophoton Emission Associated with Complementary and Alternative Medicine Therapies: A Descriptive Pilot Study
Marius Hossu, Ronald RupertThis descriptive pilot study investigated biophoton emission (BPE), an ultra-low level of light emitted by living organisms that may reflect overall health status. Researchers measured BPE from the neck and lower back o…
fasciaManual Therapybiophotonsultraweak photons - A++2005
Deleterious effects of omitting breakfast on insulin sensitivity and fasting lipid profiles in healthy lean women
Hamid R Farshchi, Moira A Taylor, Ian A MacdonaldThis randomized crossover trial investigated how breakfast habits affect metabolism in healthy, lean women over two-week periods. The results suggest that omitting breakfast led to impaired insulin sensitivity and highe…
omitting breakfastinsulin sensitivity - A++2005
Myofibrillar and collagen protein synthesis in human skeletal muscle in young men after maximal shortening and lengthening contractions
Daniel R Moore, Stuart M Phillips, John A Babraj, Kenneth Smith, Michael J RennieThis study compared how two types of maximal muscle contractions affect muscle and collagen repair in young men. Participants performed both shortening (concentric) and lengthening (eccentric) contractions with their le…
eccentric; concentric; resistance exercise; z-band streaming - A++2005
Obstetric anal sphincter injury ten years after: subjective and objective long term effects
Eva Uustal Fornell, Leif Matthiesen, Rune Sjödahl, Göran BergThis prospective observational study followed women for ten years to evaluate the long-term effects of obstetric anal sphincter injuries. Researchers found that anal function, particularly continence for gas and liquid…
anal sphincter injury; incontinence; anal pressure - A++2005
Vitamin D
Adriana S Dusso, Alex J Brown, Eduardo SlatopolskyThis narrative review summarizes research on vitamin D, which is well-known for its essential role in calcium balance and bone metabolism. However, research has revealed a wider range of actions, including influencing c…
vitamin D metabolism; vitamin D receptor; calcium homeostasis; transcriptional regulation; rapid steroid actions - A++2004
Factors associated with pelvic floor dysfunction with emphasis on urinary and fecal incontinence and genital prolapse: an epidemiological study
EVA UUSTAL FORNELL, GUN WINGREN, PREBEN KJØLHEDEThis epidemiological study surveyed Swedish women aged 40 and 60 about pelvic floor dysfunction. The results indicate that urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, and genital prolapse often occur together. Factors str…
obesityanal sphincter ruptureurinary incontinence; fecal incontinence; genital prolapse; risk factors; epidemiology - A++2004
Biophotons, microtubules and CNS, is our brain a “Holographic computer”?
F Grass, H Klima, S KasperThis theoretical article explores the idea that cells in the nervous system might communicate using light, specifically biophotons. The authors suggest that neurons have ideal characteristics for this, such as their str…
biophotonsultraweak photons - A++2003
Stimulation of type II collagen biosynthesis and secretion in bovine chondrocytes cultured with degraded collagen
Steffen Oesser, Jürgen SeifertThis laboratory study investigated how degraded collagen affects cartilage cells. Researchers cultured chondrocytes from cows and added collagen hydrolysate (small collagen fragments) to their environment. They found th…
Collagen hydrolysate; Collagen secretion; Chondrocyte metabolism; Type II collagen; Cell culture (Bovine) - A++2003
Prevalence of urinary and fecal incontinence and symptoms of genital prolapse in women
Eva Uustal Fornell, Gun Wingren, Preben KjølhedeThis questionnaire study investigated the links between urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, and symptoms of genital prolapse in Swedish women. The researchers found that these three conditions often occur together…
fecal incontinencegenital prolapseepidemiologydetrusor instabilityfemale urinary incontinence - A++2003
Left-right asymmetry of biophoton emission from hemiparesis patients
Hyun-Hee Jung, Won-Myung Woo, Joon-Mo Yang, Chunho Choi, Jonghan Lee, Gilwon Yoon, Jong S Yang, Sungmuk Lee, Kwang-Sup…This small study investigated biophoton emission, a type of ultra-weak light emitted by the body, from the hands of seven patients with hemiparesis (one-sided muscle weakness). Researchers observed a strong tendency for…
Biophoton asymmetryBiophoton emissionHemiparesis patient - A++2002
Effects of Biomechanical Stress on Bones in Animals
D B Burr, A G Robling, C H TurnerThis animal study investigated how bones adapt to mechanical stress. The researchers found that cyclic loading, like in exercise, creates fluid flow within the bone that signals it to adapt. The rate of this loading is…
Exercise; Mechanotransduction; Sensitivity; Saturation; Adaptation - A++1997
Functional morphology of serially linked skeletal muscle fibers
T Hijikata, H IshikawaSkeletal muscle fibers don't always run the full length of a muscle; they often link together in series. This study describes two main ways these connections occur: end-to-end via connective tissue plates, or by overlap…
EndomysiumMuscle fiber morphologyLinked muscle fiber - A++1996
Clinical consequences of anal sphincter rupture during vaginal delivery
E K Fornell, G Berg, O Hallböök, L S Matthiesen, R SjödahlThis study investigated the incidence and consequences of anal sphincter tears during childbirth. Researchers followed 51 women with a diagnosed tear and 31 women without one for six months after delivery. They found th…
anal sphincter injury; incontinence; anal pressure - A++1990
Immunological evidence for the accumulation of lipoprotein(a) in the atherosclerotic lesion of the hypoascorbemic guinea pig
M Rath, L PaulingThis animal study investigated the link between vitamin C, a specific cholesterol particle called Lipoprotein(a) or Lp(a), and atherosclerosis. Researchers found that guinea pigs, which like humans cannot produce their…
Vitamin CAscorbic acidAtherosclerosis - A++1978
Ascorbic acid status in idiopathic hemochromatosis
P Brissot, Y Deugnier, A Le Treut, F Regnouard, M Simon, M BourelThis study investigated Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) levels in patients with idiopathic hemochromatosis, a condition characterized by excessive iron accumulation. The results showed that untreated patients had significantl…
Vitamin Ciron overloadHemochromatosis - A++1975
SYNTHESIS AND SOME MAJOR FUNCTIONS OF VITAMIN C IN ANIMALS
I B Chatterjee, A K Majumder, B K Nandi, N SubramanianVitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is essential for most living things, but some animals, including humans, cannot produce it themselves. Historically, determining an animal's ability to synthesize Vitamin C required feeding…
StressVitamin Csyntesisanimalhistamin