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.
Fascial Nomenclature: Update 2021, Part 1
This review article discusses the need for clear, scientifically grounded terminology for the fascial system. The authors, representing the FORCE organization, emphasize the importance of an impartial approach to fascia…
Fascial Nomenclature: Update 2021, Part 2
This conceptual article addresses the ongoing debate about how to classify and name fascia. The authors suggest that progress is hindered because the discussion is often limited to a few scientific specialties and can b…
Anatomy, Tendons
This is a placeholder for a summary of a publication titled "Anatomy, Tendons". The full text has not yet been reviewed by our team. Once summarized, this entry will provide an overview of the key anatomical features of…
Ageing of the diaphragm muscle
This narrative review explores how the diaphragm, our main breathing muscle, is affected by aging. Like other muscles, the diaphragm can weaken and lose mass over time, a condition known as sarcopenia. This age-related…
Reflections on the Development of Fascial Tissue: Starting from Embryology
This reflective article discusses the ongoing challenges in classifying fascial tissue. The authors highlight that the scientific literature contains many contradictions and lacks a clear, straightforward definition. Th…
Fascial Nomenclature: An Update
This review article discusses the ongoing challenge of creating a single, comprehensive definition for fascia. The authors argue that different scientific and clinical fields view fascia through their own unique lenses,…
Improving the New Definition of Fascial System
This narrative review proposes expanding the definition of the fascial system to include bone tissue. The author argues that bone, a specialized form of connective tissue, shares the same embryological origins as other…
Biotensegrity or Fascintegrity
In this theoretical review, the authors question the popular "biotensegrity" model for describing the body's mechanics. They argue the model is incomplete because it fails to account for crucial factors like bodily flui…
The diaphragm muscle manual evaluation scale
This technical report describes a new method for manually assessing the diaphragm's function, called the Manual Evaluation Diaphragm (MED) scale. The scale is designed to generate a value for the respiratory muscle's mo…
Anatomy, Fascia
This resource provides an overview of the anatomy of fascia. As the full text has not yet been reviewed, this summary is based on the title alone. The entry likely covers the structural and functional aspects of fascial…
Lymphatic pump manipulation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
This narrative review examines the use of lymphatic pump manipulation for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is characterized by persistent inflammation, and lymphatic techniques aim to red…
Cranial osteopathy: Obscurantism and Enlightenment
In this reflective article, the authors discuss the controversial aspects of cranial osteopathy. They address common objections, such as the idea that the cranial bones are immobile in adults and that an operator's hand…
Meaning of the Solid and Liquid Fascia to Reconsider the Model of Biotensegrity
This theoretical article proposes a reconsideration of the traditional biotensegrity model. The authors argue that fascia should be viewed as a system with both solid and liquid components, where blood and lymph constit…
Immediate effects of self-myofascial release on latent trigger point sensitivity: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial
This randomized, placebo-controlled trial examined whether foam rolling could immediately reduce sensitivity in latent trigger points. Researchers compared 90 seconds of static compression, dynamic rolling, and a placeb…
Fasciae of the musculoskeletal system: normal anatomy and MR patterns of involvement in autoimmune diseases
This review article describes the fascial system as a three-dimensional continuum of connective tissue found throughout the body. The authors review the normal anatomy of fascia and its appearance on magnetic resonance…
The anatomical relationships of the tongue with the body system
In this review article, the authors examine the tongue's functions and its anatomical connections to the rest of the body. The tongue is not only essential for swallowing, breathing, and speaking, but it also affects po…
Chest pain in patients with COPD: the fascia’s subtle silence
In this article, the authors discuss potential causes of chest pain in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). They highlight that chest pain is common in COPD and propose that an often-overlooked so…
New Proposal to Define the Fascial System
In this proposal, the authors suggest a new definition for the fascial system, noting that a universally accepted one does not yet exist. They argue for including the epidermis (the outer layer of skin) based on functio…
Fascial preadipocytes: another missing piece of the puzzle to understand fibromyalgia?
In this review paper, the authors discuss fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition whose cause remains uncertain. While often linked to changes in the central nervous system, research also points to peripheral nerve damag…
A New Concept of Biotensegrity Incorporating Liquid Tissues: Blood and Lymph
This conceptual article proposes an update to the biotensegrity model, which traditionally focuses on the solid structures of the fascial system. The authors argue that "liquid tissues" like blood and lymph should also…
Frontiers in fascia research
This article reviews recent developments in fascia research, emphasizing new ways to assess this highly variable tissue. Researchers note that fascia differs greatly between individuals in density, stiffness, and metabo…
The indeterminable resilience of the fascial system
This commentary proposes a model of fascia not as layers, but as a network of polyhedral microvacuoles of connective tissue. These structures connect the body's systems and can change shape in response to tension, allow…
The Lumbodorsal Fascia as a Potential Source of Low Back Pain: A Narrative Review
This narrative review examines the role of the lumbodorsal fascia as a potential source of low back pain. Research shows this fascia contains pain-sensing nerve endings, which may be morphologically altered in people wi…
The tongue after whiplash: case report and osteopathic treatment
This case report describes a 30-year-old man who experienced neck pain during swallowing and had a reduced ability to open his mouth following a whiplash injury. He was treated with osteopathic manual techniques directe…
A Systematic Review of the Soft-Tissue Connections Between Neck Muscles and Dura Mater
In this systematic review, researchers compiled data from 26 studies to investigate direct soft-tissue connections between neck muscles and the dura mater, the outermost membrane surrounding the spinal cord. The analysi…
What Is Evidence-Based About Myofascial Chains: A Systematic Review
This systematic review evaluated anatomical dissection studies to find evidence for six proposed myofascial meridians. Researchers analyzed 62 studies and found strong evidence for the anatomical continuity of three lin…
Human Recombinant Hyaluronidase Injections For Upper Limb Muscle Stiffness in Individuals With Cerebral Injury: A Case Series
This case series investigated injections of the enzyme hyaluronidase to treat upper limb muscle stiffness in 20 individuals with cerebral injury. The researchers hypothesized that an accumulation of hyaluronan in the mu…
Structural Integration as an Adjunct to Outpatient Rehabilitation for Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain: A Randomized Pilot Clinical Trial
This randomized pilot clinical trial investigated if adding Structural Integration (SI) to standard outpatient rehabilitation could help people with chronic non-specific low back pain. Researchers assigned 46 participan…
Glycosaminoglycans and Proteoglycans in Palmar Fascia of Patients with Dupuytren
In this experimental study, researchers investigated the role of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), a type of molecule in connective tissue, in Dupuytren's disease. The team analyzed palmar fascia tissue samples from 23 patient…
Remodelling the extracellular matrix in development and disease
This narrative review describes the extracellular matrix (ECM), a dynamic network present in all body tissues that undergoes constant remodeling. This remodeling process is crucial for regulating cell functions like pro…
Hyaluronan, inflammation and breast cancer progression
This narrative review explores the link between inflammation, the tissue component hyaluronan (HA), and breast cancer progression. Cancer cells and surrounding host cells can create an inflamed microenvironment that hel…
The content and size of hyaluronan in biological fluids and tissues
Hyaluronan is a simple sugar polymer found throughout the body's tissues and fluids. It is typically produced as a very large, high-molecular-mass molecule. This narrative review notes that during processes like inflamm…
Modelling the mechanoreceptor’s dynamic behaviour
This study developed a computational model to better understand how mechanoreceptors, our body's stretch and pressure sensors, adapt to stimuli. Researchers adapted a model originally used for vision in flies to simulat…
Understanding Fibroblasts in Order to Comprehend the Osteopathic Treatment of the Fascia
In this review paper, the authors argue that understanding fibroblasts is essential for comprehending and applying osteopathic treatment of the fascia. As the foundational cells of connective tissue, fibroblasts have ma…
Primo-Vascular System as Presented by Bong Han Kim
In the 1960s, researcher Bong Han Kim described a new vascular system, distinct from the blood and lymph systems, which he proposed was involved in tissue regeneration. However, his work was difficult for later scientis…
Investigation of meningomyovertebral structures within the upper cervical epidural space: a sheet plastination study with clinical implications
This cadaver study investigated soft-tissue connections within the epidural space of the upper cervical spine using dissection and a technique called sheet plastination. The researchers found consistent connections wher…
Innervation Changes Induced by Inflammation of the Thoracolumbar Fascia
This animal study investigated how inflammation affects the nerves in the thoracolumbar fascia (TLF) of rats. Researchers induced inflammation in the TLF and compared its nerve fiber density to that of healthy fascia. W…
Primo Vascular System: An Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Potential Transitional Tissue Involved in Gastric Cancer Metastasis
The primo vascular system (PVS) is described as a distinct circulatory network beyond the blood and lymphatic systems. This study investigated the role this system might play in the spread of gastric cancer. The researc…
Modes of cancer cell invasion and the role of the microenvironment
For cancer to spread, or metastasize, tumor cells must first invade the surrounding connective tissue (stroma). This review article describes how cancer cells can move in different ways—either as single cells or in coll…
Modeled Osteopathic Manipulative Treatments: A Review of Their in Vitro Effects on Fibroblast Tissue Preparations
This narrative review summarizes lab-based (in vitro) studies investigating how simulated osteopathic treatments, like myofascial release, affect fibroblasts. The authors found that applying mechanical strain to these c…
Evidence for the existence of nociceptors in rat thoracolumbar fascia
This animal study on rats investigated the presence of pain-sensing nerve fibers (nociceptors) in the thoracolumbar fascia. Researchers compared normal fascia with tissue in which they had induced inflammation. The resu…
Reflections on osteopathic fascia treatment in the peripheral nervous system
In this reflective article, the authors discuss the fascia of the peripheral nervous system. They explain that nerves are enclosed in several layers of fascia that must be able to slide, and that impeded sliding can be…
Essential Experimental Methods for Identifying Bonghan Systems as a Basis for Korean Medicine: Focusing on Visual Materials from Original Papers and Modern Outcomes
This narrative review examines methods for identifying the so-called Bonghan system, also known as the primo vascular system (PVS). This system was originally proposed in the 1960s as the anatomical basis for acupunctur…
The effects of grounding (earthing) on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases
This report summarizes research on the effects of "grounding" or "earthing," which involves direct electrically conductive contact with the Earth's surface. The research suggests this contact may influence the body's ph…
Primo Vascular System: A Unique Biological System Shifting a Medical Paradigm
This article describes the primo vascular system (PVS), a unique biological system distinct from the arteriovenous and lymphatic systems. Research suggests the PVS has immune and endocrine functions and plays a role in…
The fascial system and exercise intolerance in patients with chronic heart failure: hypothesis of osteopathic treatment
This hypothesis paper proposes a connection between the fascial system and exercise intolerance in people with chronic heart failure. The authors note that heart failure is a complex disease affecting the entire body, l…
Hyaluronan’s Role in Fibrosis: A Pathogenic Factor or a Passive Player?
This 2015 review article explores the role of hyaluronan (HA) in fibrosis, a condition where excessive connective tissue buildup impairs organ function. HA is a key component of the extracellular matrix, known for its h…
Effects of non-pharmacological interventions on inflammatory biomarker expression in patients with fibromyalgia: a systematic review
This systematic review examined how non-drug treatments affect inflammatory markers in people with fibromyalgia. Researchers analyzed 12 studies involving 536 participants who underwent exercise, dietary, or multidiscip…
Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Disturbed Coherence: Gate to Cancer
This theoretical paper explores the link between cellular energy and cancer. Healthy cells maintain a stable, coherent electrical state through continuous energy production in the mitochondria. The authors propose that…
Sensory Nerve Fibers Containing Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide in Gastrocnemius, Latissimus Dorsi and Erector Spinae Muscles and Thoracolumbar Fascia in Mice
In this animal study, researchers investigated sensory nerve fibers containing CGRP, a peptide involved in pain signaling. They compared the presence of these nerve fibers in various muscles (gastrocnemius, latissimus d…
A multidisciplinary approach to scars: a narrative review
This narrative review examines complementary and alternative medicine approaches to treating scar tissue. The authors survey literature on osteopathy, naturopathy, and manual therapies like physiotherapy. They also disc…
Chiropractic Management of Pubic Symphysis Shear Dysfunction in a Patient With Overactive Bladder
This case report describes the chiropractic care of a 24-year-old woman with an overactive bladder, specifically frequent nighttime urination that disrupted her sleep. A physical examination revealed a shear dysfunction…
The cervical myodural bridge, a review of literature and clinical implications
This literature review examines the cervical myodural bridge, a soft tissue connection between deep suboccipital muscles and the dura mater surrounding the spinal cord. This bridge appears to anchor the spinal cord and…
Lumbopelvic muscle activation patterns in three stances under graded loading conditions: Proposing a tensegrity model for load transfer through the sacroiliac joints
Researchers investigated how lumbopelvic muscles activate to stabilize the sacroiliac (SI) joints under different loads. They compared muscle activity in 30 men during two-legged and one-legged standing while holding we…
Fat Connected with the Primo Vascular System
This research entry is currently available as a title only, so a detailed summary is not yet possible. The title, "Fat Connected with the Primo Vascular System," suggests an investigation into the relationship between a…
Skin, fascias, and scars: symptoms and systemic connections
This review article explores how skin, fascia, and scars are interconnected and can affect the entire body. The authors describe the skin as an organ that communicates with the nervous system and other structures. When…
Clinical and symptomatological reflections: the fascial system
This narrative review discusses the fascial system as a continuous network of connective tissue that gives form and function to the entire body. The authors note that despite its importance in transmitting force, coordi…
Our Internal Universe
This 2014 entry, titled 'Our Internal Universe' by Stephen M Levin, has not yet been summarized. The title suggests a conceptual exploration of the body's internal environment, possibly from a structural or philosophica…
Clinical Relevance of Fascial Tissue and Dysfunctions
Fascia is a continuous network of connective tissue that supports the entire body. Traditionally seen as a passive structure, recent research shows it plays a more active role. Fascia contains contractile elements that…
Definition of the To Be Named Ligament and Vertebrodural Ligament and Their Possible Effects on the Circulation of CSF
In this cadaver study, researchers investigated connective tissue structures in the upper neck of 30 human specimens. They identified two specific ligaments, the 'to be named ligament' (TBNL) and the vertebrodural ligam…