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- A2019
Fascial Nomenclature: Update on Related Consensus Process
Robert Schleip, Gil Hedley, Can A YucesoyThe term "fascia" is increasingly used across different health-oriented fields, but often inconsistently, which causes confusion. To address this, the Fascia Research Society established a Fascia Nomenclature Committee.…
fascia; terminology; Delphi technique; nomenclature; connective tissue - A2019
Active Contractile Properties of Fascia
ROBERT SCHLEIP, WERNER KLINGLERThis narrative review explores how fascia, often seen as a passive tissue, can actively contract. Researchers point to the presence of cells called myofibroblasts within the fascia, which give it the ability to change i…
myofibroblast; fascia; connective tissue; contracture; stiffness; fibrosis - A2019
Dermatome and Fasciatome
Carla Stecco, Carmelo Pirri, Caterina Fede, Chenglei Fan, Federico Giordani, Luigi Stecco, Calogero Foti, Raffaele De C…This theoretical paper proposes a new distinction between the body's sensory maps, based on increased knowledge of fascial innervation. The authors define a "dermatome" as the area of skin and superficial fascia supplie…
fascia; dermatome; nerve; pain; proprioception - A2019
Myofascial Chains of the Upper Limb: A Systematic Review of Anatomical Studies
JAN WILKE, FRIEDER KRAUSEThis systematic review compiled research to determine if myofascial chains, previously identified in the trunk and lower limbs, also exist in the upper limb. Analyzing 13 anatomical dissection studies, the authors found…
continuity; fascia; force transmission; muscles; cadavers; connective tissue; myofascial chains - A2019
Adhesive capsulitis: review of imaging findings, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and treatment options
Brandon K K Fields, Matthew R Skalski, Dakshesh B Patel, Eric A White, Anderanik Tomasian, Jordan S Gross, George R Mat…This narrative review summarizes the current understanding of adhesive capsulitis, commonly known as "frozen shoulder." This debilitating condition, characterized by progressive pain and stiffness in the shoulder joint,…
frozen shoulderAdhesive capsulitiscoracohumeral ligamentMagnetic resonance imagingSubcoracoid fat triangle - A2019
Distinct fibroblast subsets drive inflammation and damage in arthritis
Adam P Croft, Joana Campos, Kathrin Jansen, Jason D Turner, Jennifer Marshall, Moustafa Attar, Loriane Savary, Corinna…This study in mice investigated the role of fibroblasts, a type of connective tissue cell, in arthritis. Researchers identified two distinct subsets of fibroblasts with different functions. One type, located in the syno…
Synovial fibroblasts; inflammation; arthritis; transcriptomics; rheumatoid arthritis - A2019
Fascial Nomenclature: An Update
Bruno Bordoni, Stevan Walkowski, Bruno Morabito, Matthew A VaracalloThis 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,…
fasciamechanotransductionMyofascialOsteopathicphysiotherapy - A2019
High-dose vitamin C suppresses the invasion and metastasis of breast cancer cells via inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition
Ling-Hui Zeng, Qing-Mei Wang, Lin-Yi Feng, Yu-Dun Ke, Qian-Zi Xu, An-Yi Wei, Chong Zhang, Rong-Biao YingThis study on breast cancer cells in the lab and in mice explored how different doses of vitamin C affect cancer cell behavior. Researchers found that low and medium doses of vitamin C seemed to encourage cancer cells t…
Breast cancermetastasisTGF-β1Vitamin C - A2019
3D volumetric MR arthrographic assessment of shoulder joint capacity in patients with primary adhesive capsulitis
Hayri Ogul, Nurmuhammet Tas, Kutsi Tuncer, Gokhan Polat, Yasemin Ogul, Berhan Pirimoglu, Mecit KantarciThis study used 3D MR arthrography to measure and compare shoulder joint volume in patients with primary adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder) against a healthy control group. Researchers found that the patient group ha…
frozen shoulderAdhesive capsulitisMR arthrography - A2019
Adhesive capsulitis: MRI correlation with clinical stages and proposal of MRI staging
Amarnath Chellathurai, Komalavalli Subbiah, Atchaya Elangovan,, Sivakumar KannappanThis study investigated whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings can reflect the clinical stages of adhesive capsulitis, also known as frozen shoulder. Researchers analyzed MRIs from 74 patients, looking for sp…
Adhesive capsulitis; MRI staging; magnetic resonance imaging; frozen shoulder - A2019
Role of Hyaluronan in Inflammatory Effects on Human Articular Chondrocytes
Mary K Cowman, Claire Shortt, Shivani Arora, Yuhong Fu, Jemma Villavieja, Jai Rathore, Xiayun Huang, Tatini Rakshit, Gy…Some researchers have proposed that fragments of hyaluronan (HA), a key molecule in connective tissue, can trigger inflammation in cartilage. This study investigated that idea in human articular cartilage cells. Researc…
hyaluronan; hyaluronidase; articular cartilage; chondrocytes; inflammation - A2019
Quantifying muscle glycosaminoglycan levels in patients with post-stroke muscle stiffness using T1p MRI
Rajiv G Menon, Preeti Raghavan, Ravinder R RegatteThis study is the first to quantify the amount of hyaluronan, a key component for gliding movements within fascia. Researchers measured hyaluronan in tissue samples from various human anatomical sites and found that the…
hyaluronanStrokestiffnesshyaluronidase