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.
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…
Mechanotransduction and extracellular matrix homeostasis
Connective tissues are dynamic, constantly adapting even at rest. Cells within these tissues continually sense mechanical cues from their environment through a process called mechanotransduction. In response, they maint…
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…
The Role of Functional Foods in Cutaneous Anti-aging
This narrative review examines how functional foods and oral supplements may influence skin aging by addressing oxidative stress and inflammation. Research suggests that compounds such as carotenoids, aloe vera, red gin…
Hyaluronan Synthase 2 Protects Skin Fibroblasts against Apoptosis Induced by Environmental Stress
Skin fibroblasts need to manage environmental stress, such as UV radiation. This study on mouse cells investigated how hyaluronan (HA) and the enzymes that produce it help fibroblasts survive. Researchers found that cel…
Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study
This double-blind, placebo-controlled study investigated the effects of daily collagen peptide supplementation in individuals with knee osteoarthritis. Participants received either porcine or bovine collagen, or a place…
The Medium of Haptic Perception: A Tensegrity Hypothesis
In this theoretical paper, the authors propose a new hypothesis for how our sense of touch, or haptic perception, works. Unlike other senses that have a clear medium (like air for sound), the haptic system lacks one. Th…
The theory and fundamentals of bioimpedance analysis in clinical status monitoring and diagnosis of diseases
Bioimpedance analysis is a noninvasive, low cost and a commonly used approach for body composition measurements and assessment of clinical condition. There are a variety of methods applied for interpretation of measured…
Ingested hyaluronan moisturizes dry skin
This review article summarizes research on how oral hyaluronan (HA) supplements may influence skin hydration levels. Studies suggest that a daily intake of 120–240 mg of hyaluronic acid can contribute to increased moist…
Altered Gene Transcription in Human Cells Treated with Ludox® Silica Nanoparticles
This in vitro study investigated how human lung cells react to exposure to Ludox® silica nanoparticles, which are common in industrial and biomedical applications. Using genetic analysis, researchers observed that the c…
Contractile elements in muscular fascial tissue – implications for in-vitro contracture testing for malignant hyperthermia
Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a rare but serious reaction to general anesthesia, diagnosed using a test on a skeletal muscle biopsy. Since muscle samples also contain fascia, which has contractile cells called myofibro…
Neuroreceptor Activation by Vibration-Assisted Tunneling
This theoretical study used quantum chemical modeling to explore how receptors in the nervous system get activated. The researchers propose a model where a molecule's specific vibrations, like a musical key, may be what…
A decorin-deficient matrix affects skin chondroitin/dermatan sulfate levels and keratinocyte function
This study in mice investigated how the absence of a proteoglycan called decorin affects skin structure and function. Researchers found that mice lacking decorin had an altered composition of other sugar molecules (chon…
Mapping Sensory Nerve Communications Between Peripheral Nerve Territories
In this literature review, researchers examined the traditional maps of skin sensation, known as dermatomes. They searched for evidence of direct communications between sensory nerves from different, adjacent spinal ner…
Biotensegrity of the extracellular matrix: physiology, dynamic mechanical balance, and implications in oncology and mechanotherapy
This 2014 review article explores the concept of biotensegrity, a principle where cells and tissues maintain structural integrity through a balance of tension and compression. This dynamic mechanical balance involves th…
New perspective in cell communication: Potential role of ultra-weak photon emission
This 2014 narrative review explores how cells might communicate with each other. Beyond chemical signals and direct contact, the authors discuss evidence for communication via electromagnetic radiation, specifically ult…
TGF-β: Guardian of T Cell Function
In this review article, the authors discuss the role of the cytokine TGF-β (transforming growth factor-beta) in the immune system. TGF-β is critical for regulating T cells, a type of white blood cell central to the adap…
Vitamin C Is an Essential Factor on the Anti-viral Immune Responses through the Production of Interferon-α/β at the Initial Stage of Influenza A Virus (H3N2) Infection
This animal study investigated how vitamin C affects the immune response to influenza A virus (H3N2). Researchers used mice that, like humans, cannot synthesize their own vitamin C. When these mice were made vitamin C-d…
Cellular Control of Connective Tissue Matrix Tension
This review article explores how fibroblasts, the cells within connective tissue, actively help regulate tissue tension. Traditionally, the mechanical properties of connective tissue have been attributed to its passive…
Vitamin C further improves the protective effect of glucagon-like peptide-1 on acute hypoglycemia-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction in type 1 diabetes
Acute low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) in people with type 1 diabetes can cause oxidative stress, inflammation, and damage to the lining of blood vessels. This study investigated whether the hormone GLP-1 and vitamin C co…
Local vitamin-C Injection Reduced Tendon Adhesion in a Chicken Model of Flexor Digitorum Profundus Tendon Injury
This animal study investigated whether vitamin C could reduce scar tissue formation after a tendon injury. Researchers injured a flexor tendon in chickens and then injected either vitamin C or a saline solution at the s…
Squeeze film lubrication for non-Newtonian fluids with application to manual medicine
Researchers used a mathematical model to investigate how manual therapy affects the fluid in and around fascia. The model focused on hyaluronic acid (HA), a natural lubricant in connective tissue. The results suggest th…
Direct magnetic resonance (MR) shoulder arthrography: posterior approach under ultrasonographic guidance and abduction (PAUGA
This study evaluated a specific technique, called PAUGA, for injecting contrast dye into the shoulder joint before an MRI scan (MR arthrography). Researchers used ultrasound to guide a needle from the back of the should…
The application of matrix rhythm therapy as a new clinical modality in burn physiotherapy programmes
This study investigated the use of Matrix Rhythm Therapy (MRT) as part of a physiotherapy program for patients with upper extremity burn injuries. A group of patients received a treatment protocol that included whirlpoo…
Mathematical Analysis of the Flow of Hyaluronic Acid Around Fascia During Manual Therapy Motions
This study used a mathematical model to simulate how different manual therapy techniques affect the flow of hyaluronic acid (HA) within fascia. The researchers compared constant sliding, perpendicular vibration, and tan…
The myofibroblast matrix: implications for tissue repair and fibrosis
This review explores the role of myofibroblasts and the extracellular matrix (ECM) in tissue repair and fibrosis. The ECM is not just a passive scaffold for cells, but an active tissue with its own bioactive properties.…
Vibration Induced Osteogenic Commitment of Mesenchymal Stem Cells is Enhanced by Cytoskeletal Remodeling but not Fluid Shear
This laboratory study investigated how mechanical vibrations encourage stem cells to develop into bone cells. Researchers tested two potential mechanisms: the force of fluid moving across the cells (fluid shear) and cha…
Implementation of Matrix Rhythm Therapy and Conventional Massage in Young Females and Comparison of Their Acute Effects on Circulation
This randomized controlled trial compared the acute effects of Matrix Rhythm Therapy and conventional massage on lower leg blood circulation in young, healthy women. Fifteen participants received a single 30-minute sess…
Histological examination of the human obliquus capitis inferior myodural bridge
This cadaver study examined the connection between a deep neck muscle, the obliquus capitis inferior (OCI), and the dura mater, the tough outer layer covering the spinal cord. Researchers dissected tissue from eight cad…
Histological analysis of the rectus capitis posterior major’s myodural bridge
This cadaver study investigated a small tissue bridge between a suboccipital muscle (rectus capitis posterior major) and the dura mater, the protective covering of the spinal cord. Using microscopic analysis on tissue f…
Primo Vascular System: Past, Present, and Future
As only the title of this article was available, this summary is necessarily limited. The title, "Primo Vascular System: Past, Present, and Future," suggests this is a review article. It likely covers the history of the…
R-Spondin 1 promotes vibration-induced bone formation in mouse models of osteoporosis
This animal study on mice investigated how mechanical signals, like vibration, can stimulate bone growth. Researchers identified proteins secreted by mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) in response to vibration. They fo…
History of Bioelectrical Study and the Electrophysiology of the Primo Vascular System
This review paper summarizes the history of research on the bioelectrical properties of the primo vascular system (PVS), also known as the Bonghan system. This system has been proposed as a novel circulatory system in t…
Exercise training initiated in late middle age attenuates cardiac fibrosis and advanced glycation end-product accumulation in senescent rats
This animal study investigated if exercise started later in life could still benefit the aging heart. Researchers had late middle-aged rats begin treadmill training and continue into old age, comparing them to sedentary…
The effect of acute exercise on collagen turnover in human tendons: influence of prior immobilization period
Researchers investigated how a period of immobility affects the Achilles tendon's response to exercise. In this study, eight healthy men had one leg immobilized for two weeks while the other was used normally. Afterward…
The Primo Vascular System as a New Anatomical System
This review paper proposes the existence of a "primo vascular system" (PVS) as the physical, anatomical basis for the meridian system of traditional Eastern medicine. According to the authors, this previously unknown sy…
Cellulite's aetiology: a review
In this literature review, researchers examined the underlying causes of cellulite. They found that cellulite is a complex phenomenon with many interacting factors, rather than a single cause. The research points to wom…
The resolution of inflammation
This article summarizes a discussion from a scientific conference on how to turn off undesirable inflammation. There is a growing appreciation that the resolution of inflammation, much like its initiation, is an active…
Fascia Research Congress Evidence from the 100 year perspective of Andrew Taylor Still
This review paper examines research from the first three International Fascia Research Congresses through the perspective of Andrew Taylor Still, the founder of osteopathic medicine. Over a century ago, Still described…
Air ions and mood outcomes: a review and meta-analysis
This review and meta-analysis examined 33 studies to investigate how air ions affect human psychological states. The authors found no consistent effects of positive or negative ionization on anxiety, general mood, relax…
Metabolic control of hyaluronan synthases
This narrative review explores how a cell's energy and nutritional status regulate the production of hyaluronan (HA), a key component of the extracellular matrix. HA is synthesized by enzymes called HAS, which require s…
Hyaluronic acid production and molecular weight improvement by redirection of carbon flux towards its biosynthesis pathway
Researchers investigated how to optimize the production of hyaluronic acid (HA) in bacteria. In the bacterium *Streptococcus zooepidemicus*, HA production competes for the same nutrients as other processes like cell gro…
Hyaluronan: A Simple Polysaccharide with Diverse Biological Functions
This review paper describes hyaluronan (HA), a simple sugar molecule found abundantly throughout the body's connective tissues. Despite its simple structure, HA has a surprising array of biological functions. It helps o…
Applications and Emerging Trends of Hyaluronic Acid in Tissue Engineering, as a Dermal Filler, and in Osteoarthritis Treatment
This narrative review summarizes knowledge about hyaluronic acid (HA), a naturally occurring polymer found in the body's connective tissues and fluids. The authors describe how HA contributes to the structural propertie…
Heparan sulfate proteoglycan as a cell-surface endocytosis receptor
In this review, the authors discuss how large molecules enter the body's cells. They focus on heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs), a type of molecule on the cell surface that acts as a receptor or docking station. Man…
Molecular assembly and mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix: A fibrous protein perspective
This review article examines the extracellular matrix (ECM), the dynamic network of molecules surrounding our cells. The authors focus on fibrous proteins like collagen and elastin, which form the structural backbone of…
Heparan sulfate in the nucleus and its control of cellular functions
This narrative review discusses the roles of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) inside the cell nucleus. These molecules are typically found on the cell surface and in the extracellular matrix, where they help regula…
Purine receptor mediated actin cytoskeleton remodeling of human fibroblasts
This laboratory study investigated how certain molecules, called purines, affect human fibroblast cells. Previous research has shown that acupuncture can trigger the release of purines like ATP. The researchers exposed…
The 17-β-oestradiol inhibits osteoclast activity by increasing the cannabinoid CB2 receptor expression
This in vitro study investigated how 17-β-oestradiol (estrogen) affects osteoclasts, the cells responsible for bone resorption. The researchers found that estrogen inhibits the formation and activity of these cells by i…
A pilot study of myofascial release therapy compared to Swedish massage in Fibromyalgia
This small pilot study compared the effects of myofascial release (MFR) and Swedish massage on women with fibromyalgia. Participants received either MFR or Swedish massage for 90 minutes weekly over four weeks. While bo…
Helical Structure of the Cardiac Ventricular Anatomy Assessed by Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging With Multiresolution Tractography
In this animal study, researchers used advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computer modeling to visualize the complex fiber structure of the heart muscle in dogs. They developed an automated method to trace th…
Cranial nerves XIII and XIV: nerves in the shadows
This narrative review discusses two often-overlooked cranial nerves: the terminal nerve (XIII) and the intermediate nerve (XIV). The authors note that while these nerves have been known for over a century, they are freq…
CCN2: a mechanosignaling sensor modulating integrin-dependent connective tissue remodeling in fibroblasts?
Mechanical tension is essential for the function and health of connective tissue. In skin fibroblasts, the protein integrin β1 plays a key role in adhesion and in regulating healing and fibrosis (scarring). This theoret…
Anatomic connections of the diaphragm: influence of respiration on the body system
This review article explains why the diaphragm muscle is a critical crossroads of information for the entire body. The authors describe its extensive anatomical, fascial, and neurological connections, which link it to s…
Of Mice, Men and Elephants: The Relation between Articular Cartilage Thickness and Body Mass
This study investigated how articular cartilage adapts to body size across different mammals. Researchers analyzed cartilage from the knee joints of 58 species, ranging from mice to elephants. They found that while cart…
What Lies Beneath: Sub-Articular Long Bone Shape Scaling in Eutherian Mammals and Saurischian Dinosaurs Suggests Different Locomotor Adaptations for Gigantism
This study explored why giant dinosaurs were more common than giant mammals by examining their joint structures. Researchers compared the long bones of large mammals like elephants and rhinos with those of saurischian d…
Training principles for fascial connective tissues: Scientific foundation and suggested practical applications
Conventional sports training often emphasizes muscles, cardiovascular conditioning, and coordination, yet most overload injuries occur within the body's connective tissue network, or fascia. This review article proposes…
Visceral and Somatic Disorders: Tissue Softening with Frequency-Specific Microcurrent
This review article explores a technique called Frequency-Specific Microcurrent (FSM), which uses microampere-level electrical currents to treat various health conditions. A consistent finding is a rapid and palpable so…
Earthing (Grounding) the Human Body Reduces Blood Viscosity—a Major Factor in Cardiovascular Disease
This small study investigated how direct physical contact with the earth, known as 'grounding' or 'earthing', affects blood properties. Ten healthy participants were grounded for two hours using conductive patches on th…
Dosed Myofascial Release in Three-Dimensional Bioengineered Tendons: Effects on Human Fibroblast Hyperplasia, Hypertrophy, and Cytokine Secretion
This laboratory study investigated how different amounts and durations of simulated myofascial release (MFR) affect lab-grown human tendon tissue. Researchers applied varying degrees of stretch for different lengths of…