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- A2018
Lipedema—An update
Uwe WollinaThis review provides an update on lipedema, a chronic condition affecting subcutaneous fat tissue in the limbs, almost exclusively in women. It typically appears during or after puberty and is characterized by symmetric…
painEdemaobesitylipedemalymphedema - A2018
What Is the Point? The Problem with Acupuncture Research That No One Wants to Talk About
Helene M Langevin, Peter M WayneIn this 2018 commentary, the authors address a persistent criticism of acupuncture research: the unclear scientific basis for "acupuncture points." They argue that the acupuncture research community has not paid enough…
acupunctureAnatomyacupuncture pointsmethodology - A2018
Immediate effects of self-myofascial release on latent trigger point sensitivity: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial
Jan Wilke, Lutz Vogt, Winfried BanzerThis 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…
fasciaMyofascial painFoam rollingSelf-masage - A2018
A review of the impact of pregnancy and childbirth on pelvic floor function as assessed by objective measurement techniques
Hans Van Geelen, Donald Ostergard, Peter SandThis narrative review examines how pregnancy and childbirth affect the pelvic floor, based on studies using objective measurement tools like ultrasound and MRI. The authors found that pregnancy, particularly the first,…
Pregnancy . Childbirth . Vaginal delivery . Cesarean delivery . Pelvic floor function . Objective measurement techniques - A2018
Morphological evidence of telocytes in human synovium
Irene Rosa, Mirca Marini, Daniele Guasti, Lidia Ibba-Manneschi, Mirko ManettiA relatively new type of cell, called a telocyte, has been found in many human tissues. This study was the first to look for and find these cells in the synovial membrane, which is the lining of our movable joints. Usin…
telocytessynovium - A2018
Frontiers in fascia research
Carla Alessandra Avila Gonzalez, Mark Driscoll, Robert Schleip, Scott Wearing, Eric Jacobson, Thomas Findley, Werner Kl…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…
fasciaultrasound.Pain therapySport sciencesIndentometry - A2018
Non-invasive Assessment of Lameness in Horses with Dorsal Spinous Process Impingement “Kissing spine”: A Case Study.
Adrian P Harrison, Anja Jensen, Karoline Holst Riis, Kiwa Riis-OlesenIn this case study, researchers examined a horse with recurring lameness and "kissing spine" using three non-invasive techniques. Acoustic myography was used to assess muscle activity and locate the injury, while bioimp…
Bioimpedance analysis; Accelerometry; Acoustic myography; lameness - A2018
The influence of breathing on the central nervous system
Bruno Bordoni, Shahin Purgol, Annalisa Bizzarri, Maddalena Modica, Bruno MorabitoThis narrative review explores the diaphragm's extensive influence on the central nervous system. The authors discuss how the rhythm of our breath can physically move the brain, alter patterns of neural oscillation, and…
diaphragmbreathingphrenic nervevagus nerveneural oscillation - A2018
Meaning of the Solid and Liquid Fascia to Reconsider the Model of Biotensegrity
Bruno Bordoni, David Lintonbon, Bruno MorabitoThis 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…
fasciaChiropracticManual TherapyMyofascialOsteopathic - A2018
A fundamental critique of the fascial distortion model and its application in clinical practice
Christoph ThalhamerThis narrative review critiques the Fascial Distortion Model (FDM), a manual therapy approach based on the idea that all musculoskeletal complaints stem from distortions of fascia. The author investigated the scientific…
Manual Therapyfasciaefascial distortion modelreductionismtypaldos - A2018
The infrapatellar fat pad and the synovial membrane: an anatomo-functional unit
Veronica Macchi, Elena Stocco, Carla Stecco, Elisa Belluzzi, Marta Favero, Andrea Porzionato, Raffaele De CaroThis descriptive review summarizes evidence on the close relationship between the infrapatellar fat pad and the synovial membrane in the knee. Anatomically, they are linked, as parts of the synovial membrane insert into…
infrapatellar fat pad; knee plicae; osteoarthritis; synovial membrane. - A2018
Fractal fluctuations in muscular activity contribute to judgments of length but not heaviness via dynamic touch
Madhur Mangalam, James D Conners, Damian G Kelty-Stephen, Tarkeshwar SinghCOPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is a progressive condition that often involves chest pain. This article analyzes the possible causes of this pain, focusing on a less frequently considered source: the fascia…
Biotensegrity · Effortful touch · Fractality · Haptic perception · Multifractality · Muscular effort · Perceptual invariance · Psychophysics