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
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 - A2018
Metabolic acidosis and the role of unmeasured anions in critical illness and injury
Tobias Zingg, Bishwajit Bhattacharya, Linda L MaerzIn this review article, the authors discuss metabolic acidosis, a common condition in critically ill patients that is associated with increased mortality. A significant component of this acidosis can be caused by so-cal…
Metabolic acidosisUnmeasured anionsStrong ion differenceStrong ion gapAnion gap Base excess - A2018
Orientation and property of fibers of the myodural bridge in humans
Nan Zheng, Yan-Yan Chi, Xiao-Han Yang, Nan-Xing Wang, Yi-Lin Li, Yang-Yang Ge, Lan-Xin Zhang, Tai-Yuan Liu, Xiao-Ying Y…The myodural bridge is a fibrous connection between the deep suboccipital muscles of the neck and the spinal dura mater, the tough outer covering of the spinal cord. In this anatomical study, researchers investigated th…
Atlanto-axial interspace; Atlanto-occipital interspace; Collagen I fibers; Histologic staining; Myodural bridge; Suboccipital muscles; Vertebral dural ligament - A2018
A New Concept of Biotensegrity Incorporating Liquid Tissues: Blood and Lymph
Bruno Bordoni, Fabiola Marelli, Bruno Morabito, Roberto CastagnaThis 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…
fasciaChiropracticManual TherapyMyofascialOsteopathic - A2018
Muscle spindles of the rat sternomastoid muscle
Walter Giuriati, Barbara Ravara, Andrea Porzionato, Giovanna Albertin, Carla Stecco, Veronica Macchi, Raffaele De Caro,…This animal study on rats examined the sternomastoid muscle in the neck, which has a unique structure. Researchers found it has two distinct regions: a superficial "white" part with fast-twitch fibers and a deep "red" p…
ratsternomastoid musclemuscle spindlesfiber typestranslational studies - A2018
Hyaluronan in adipogenesis, adipose tissue physiology and systemic metabolism
Yi Zhu, llja L Kruglikov, Yucel Akgul, Philipp E SchererThis narrative review summarizes research on hyaluronic acid (HA), a sugar molecule abundant in the body's extracellular matrix. The functions of HA are largely dictated by its molecular size, and it is commonly used as…
HA - B2018
The Receptor for Hyaluronan- Mediated Motility (CD168) promotes inflammation and fibrosis after acute lung injury
Zheng Cui, Jie Liao, Naeun Cheongb, Christopher Longoria, Gaoyuan Cao, Horace M DeLisser, Rashmin C SavaniIn this animal study, researchers investigated the role of a specific receptor, RHAMM, in the body's response to acute lung injury. Using mouse models, they compared outcomes in mice that lacked the RHAMM receptor to th…
HA - 1A+2018
Stretching Reduces Tumor Growth in a Mouse Breast Cancer Model
L Berrueta, J Bergholz, D Munoz, I Muskaj, G J Badger, A Shukla, H J Kim, J J Zhao, H M LangevinIn this mouse study, researchers investigated the effect of daily stretching on breast cancer tumors. Mice with implanted tumor cells were divided into two groups, with one group receiving gentle stretching for 10 minut…
StretchingTumor growthBreast cancer - A2018
The myodural bridges’ existence in the sperm whale
Pei Liu, Chan Li, Nan Zheng, Xiaoying Yuan, Yutong Zhou, Pu Chun, Yanyan Chi, Campbell Gilmore, Shengbo Yu, Hongjin SuiIn this anatomical animal study, researchers examined tissue from a sperm whale to see if it possessed a myodural bridge, a connection between the neck muscles and the dura mater previously identified in humans. The inv…
Myodural Bridge - A+2018
Endogenous systems involved in exercise-induced analgesia
R DA SILVA SANTOS, G GALDINOThis narrative review describes the phenomenon of exercise-induced analgesia, which is the pain-relieving effect of physical activity. Studied since the 1970s, this effect is seen in both endurance and resistance exerci…
EndocannabinoidspainexerciseNitric oxideanalgesia - C2018
Anatomy of the fasciae and fascial spaces of the maxillofacial and the anterior neck regions
Seiichiro KitamuraThis narrative review simplifies the complex anatomy of the fascia in the face, jaw, and front of the neck. The author organizes the region into four distinct portions based on their relationship to a key fascial layer,…
fasciaFascial spaceGross anatomyMaxillofacial regionAnterior neck - B2018
Global Expression Profiling Identifies a Novel Hyaluronan Synthases 2 Gene in the Pathogenesis of Lower Extremity Varicose Veins
Chia-Shan Hsieh, Chia-Ti Tsai, Yau-Hung Chen, Sheng-Nan Chang, Juey-Jen Hwang, Eric Y Chuang, I-HuiWuResearchers investigated the genetic factors behind varicose veins by comparing vein tissue from patients with and without the condition. They found that the gene hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2) was significantly less acti…
varicose veins; HAS2; RNA seq
