Research.
Every peer-reviewed study on fascia in one place — graded for strength of evidence, summarised in plain language for clinicians, researchers, and curious readers.
We grade studies from A to 1A+++ using the Fascia Research Database rubric — 1A+++ is the strongest.
Researchers behind the studies- A+++2020
Perspective: Vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19 severity –plausibly linked by latitude, ethnicity, impacts on cytokines,ACE2 and thrombosis
J M Rhodes, S Subramanian, E Laird, G Griffin, R A KennyThis narrative review explores the potential link between vitamin D deficiency and the severity of COVID-19. The authors observed that countries at higher latitudes, with less sun exposure, had higher COVID-19 mortality…
cytokineCOVID-19vitamin D - A+++2020
An anatomical comparison of the fasciae of the thigh: A macroscopic, microscopic and ultrasound imaging study
Carmelo Pirri, Caterina Fede, Lucia Petrelli, Diego Guidolin, Chenglei Fan, Raffaele De Caro, Carla SteccoResearchers compared the thigh's fascial layers using three methods: dissection of cadavers, microscopic analysis, and ultrasound imaging of living volunteers. They identified distinct layers, including a superficial fa…
fascia lataImagingThicknessmusculo-skeletal ultrasoundsuperficial fascia - A+++2020
The feasibility and impact of instrument-assisted manual therapy (IAMT) for the lower back on the structural and functional properties of the lumbar area in female soccer players: a randomised, placebo-controlled pilot study design
Patrick Weber, Christine Graf, Werner Klingler, Nadine Weber, Robert SchleipThis is a protocol for a pilot study designed to investigate the feasibility and impact of instrument-assisted manual therapy (IAMT) for the lower back in female soccer players. The researchers plan to compare IAMT with…
Thoracolumbar fasciaMyofascialultrasound.AthletesInstrument-assisted - A+++2020
Gut Microbiota and Cardiovascular Disease
Marco Witkowski, Taylor L Weeks, Stanley L HazenThis review explores how the gut microbiota influences cardiovascular health through the production of specific metabolic byproducts. Research suggests that the link is not merely associative; certain bacterial metaboli…
atherosclerosis; cardiovascular diseases; gastrointestinal microbiome; thrombosis; vascular diseases - A+++2020
Diet as a Modulator of Intestinal Microbiota in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Eduardo Dourado, Margarida Ferro, Catarina Sousa Guerreiro, João Eurico FonsecaThis narrative review explores how dietary patterns can influence the gut microbiota in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Research indicates that RA patients often exhibit significant differences in their inte…
Mediterranean diet; gut microbiota; probiotics; rheumatoid arthritis - A+++2020
Effects of Cesarean Section and Vaginal Delivery on Abdominal Muscles and Fasciae
Chenglei Fan, Diego Guidolin, Serena Ragazzo, Caterina Fede, Carmelo Pirri, Nathaly Gaudreault, Andrea Porzionato, Vero…This study used ultrasound to compare the abdominal muscles and fascia of women who had a C-section, a vaginal delivery, or had never given birth. Researchers found that both types of delivery were associated with chang…
caesarean section; vaginal delivery; fascia; abdominal muscles; pain; ultrasound - A+++2019
Effect of collagen supplementation on osteoarthritis symptoms: a meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials
Juan Mario García-Coronado, Lorena Martínez-Olvera, Rodrigo E Elizondo-Omaña, Carlos Alberto Acosta-Olivo, Félix Vilche…This meta-analysis of five randomized placebo-controlled trials evaluated the impact of oral collagen supplementation on osteoarthritis (OA) symptoms. The findings suggest that collagen may help reduce the overall disea…
Collagen supplementation; Meta-analysis; Osteoarthritis symptoms; Visual Analogue Scale; WOMAC index - A+++2019
Fermented Foods: Definitions and Characteristics, Impact on the Gut Microbiota and Effects on Gastrointestinal Health and Disease
Eirini Dimidi, Selina Rose Cox, Megan Rossi, Kevin WhelanThis narrative review examines how fermented foods such as kefir, kombucha, and sourdough bread affect gut health and the microbiota. The authors describe how the fermentation process creates bioactive compounds and pot…
fermented food; kefir; kimchi; kombucha; miso; natto; sauerkraut; sourdough; soy; tempeh - A+++2019
Fasting-Mimicking Diet Modulates Microbiota and Promotes Intestinal Regeneration to Reduce Inflammatory Bowel Disease Pathology
Priya Rangan, Inyoung Choi, MinWei, Gerardo Navarrete, Esra Guen, Sebastian Brandhorst, Nobel Enyati, Gab Pasia, Daral…This study investigates how cycles of a fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) affect inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in both mice and humans. In animal models, FMD cycles reduced intestinal inflammation, encouraged the growth o…
Crohn’s disease; fasting; fasting-mimicking diet; gut microbiota; inflammation; inflammatory bowel disease; intermittent fasting; microbiome; ulcerative colitis - A+++2019
Cannabidiol differentially regulates basal and LPS-induced inflammatory responses in macrophages, lung epithelial cells, and fibroblasts
Thivanka Muthumalage, Irfan RahmanThis laboratory study investigated how cannabidiol (CBD) influences inflammatory responses in lung epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and immune cells. The researchers found that CBD can reduce inflammation triggered by ext…
CBD; E-cigarette; E-liquid; Lung; Marijuana; Vaping - A+++2019
New Insights of Uterine Leiomyoma Pathogenesis: Endocannabinoid System
Thangesweran Ayakannu, Anthony H Taylor, Timothy H Marczylo, Justin C KonjeThis study investigated the role of the endocannabinoid system in the development of uterine leiomyomas, commonly known as fibroids. Researchers analyzed tissue samples and found that the expression of specific receptor…
CannabinoidsCannabinoid receptorsuterine myomfibroids - A+++2019
Is It All About the Fascia? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Prevalence of Extramuscular Connective Tissue Lesions in Muscle Strain Injury
Jan Wilke, Luiz Hespanhol, Martin BehrensThis systematic review and meta-analysis examined how often connective tissue is damaged in athletic muscle strains. Researchers analyzed 16 imaging studies and found that lesions to the fascia and tendons are highly pr…
return to play; muscle injury; collagen; imaging; ultrasound; MRI