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- A2016
Connection of the Posterior Occipital Muscle and Dura Mater of the Siamese Crocodile
JING-HUI ZHANG, WEI TANG, ZHAO-XI ZHANG, BING-YI LUAN, SHENG-BO YU, HONG-JIN SUIIn this animal study, researchers investigated a connective tissue structure called the myodural bridge in six Siamese crocodiles. This bridge connects deep muscles in the suboccipital region to the dura mater, the oute…
myodural bridge; rectus capitis posterior major muscle; rectus capitis posterior minor muscle;proatlas; spinal dura mater; Siamese crocodile; cerebrospinal fluid circulation - A2015
Tracking CNS and systemic sources of oxidative stress during the course of chronic neuroinflammation
Agata A Mossakowski, Julian Pohlan, Daniel Bremer, Randall Lindquist, Jason M Millward, Markus Bock, Karolin Pollok, Ro…In this animal study, researchers used a mouse model for multiple sclerosis (MS) to track the sources of oxidative stress in the central nervous system. Using an advanced imaging technique, they identified specific immu…
Multiple sclerosis · Oxidative stress · Neuronal dysfunction · Fluorescence lifetime microscopy · Intravital imaging · Oxidative stress memory - B2015
Platelet hyaluronidase-2: an enzyme that translocates to the surface upon activation to function in extracellular matrix degradation
Sami Albeiroti, Katayoun Ayasoufi, [...], Carol A de la MottePlatelets play a key role in responding to tissue injury. This study explores how they interact with hyaluronan, a major component of the extracellular matrix that is involved in inflammation. Researchers demonstrated t…
hyaluronanextracellular matrixDegradationhyaluronidas-2HYAL2 - A+2015
Changes in electrical pain threshold of fascia and muscle after initial and secondary bouts of elbow flexor eccentric exercise
Wing Yin Lau, Anthony J. Blazevich, Michael J. Newton, Sam Shi Xuan Wu, Kazunori NosakaThis study investigated how pain sensitivity changes in fascia and muscle after strenuous eccentric exercise. Ten young men performed two bouts of maximal eccentric elbow curls, four weeks apart. After the first session…
pressure pain thresholdmuscle damageRepeated bout effectDelayed onset muscle sorenessVisual analogue scale - A2015
Collagen network strengthening following cyclic tensile loading
Monica E Susilo, Jeffrey A Paten, Edward A Sander, Thao D Nguyen, Jeffrey W RubertiTissues adapt to the mechanical loads they experience, with collagen being the primary load-bearing component. In this study, researchers investigated how a collagen-based material responded to repeated, cyclic tensile…
collagen networkmechanical adaptationtissue remodelling - 1A+++2015
Viscoelastic Properties of Hyaluronan in Physiological Conditions
Mary K Cowman, Tannin A Schmidt, Preeti Raghavan, Antonio SteccoHyaluronan (HA) is a molecule that gives the fluid in our connective tissues its viscous, gel-like quality. This viscosity is crucial for the smooth gliding of fascial layers against muscles and other tissues. Factors l…
Hyalyronian acidhaviscositylubricationviscoelasticity - A+2015
Chondroprotection and the Prevention of Osteoarthritis Progression of the Knee
Brian Gallagher, Fotios P Tjoumakaris, Marc I Harwood, Robert P Good, Michael G Ciccotti, Kevin B FreedmanIn this systematic review, researchers evaluated whether certain medications and supplements could protect joint cartilage and slow the progression of knee osteoarthritis. By analyzing randomized controlled trials, they…
knee; articular cartilage; chondroprotection; nutraceutical - A++2015
BioTensegrity Fascia and the fallacy of biomechanics. Part 1
John SharkeyThis conceptual article introduces Biotensegrity as an emerging model for understanding human anatomy. It challenges traditional biomechanics by viewing the body as a continuous tensional network in which fascia plays a…
biotensegrityBiomechanics - A2015
Investigation of meningomyovertebral structures within the upper cervical epidural space: a sheet plastination study with clinical implications
Frank Scali, Matthew E Pontell, Lance G Nash, Dennis E EnixThis cadaver study investigated soft-tissue connections within the epidural space of the upper cervical spine using dissection and a technique called sheet plastination. The researchers found consistent connections wher…
fasciacervical spineMyodural Bridgedural lacerationsepidural space - A+++2015
Structural and functional features of central nervous system lymphatics
Antoine Louveau, Igor Smirnov, Timothy J Keyes, Jacob D Eccles, Sherin J Rouhani, J David Peske, Noel C Derecki, David…The central nervous system (CNS) was long thought to lack a conventional lymphatic drainage system. In this study, however, researchers discovered functional lymphatic vessels within the meninges, the membranes surround…
lymphatic vesselsCentral nervous system - A2015
Innervation Changes Induced by Inflammation of the Thoracolumbar Fascia
U Hoheisel, J Rosner, S MenseThis animal study investigated how inflammation affects the nerves in the thoracolumbar fascia (TLF) of rats. Researchers induced inflammation in the TLF and compared its nerve fiber density to that of healthy fascia. W…
inflammationfasciafasciitisfascia innervationsympathetic fibers - A2015
Essential Experimental Methods for Identifying Bonghan Systems as a Basis for Korean Medicine: Focusing on Visual Materials from Original Papers and Modern Outcomes
Hoon-Gi Kim, Byung-Cheon Lee, Ki-Bog LeeThis narrative review examines methods for identifying the so-called Bonghan system, also known as the primo vascular system (PVS). This system was originally proposed in the 1960s as the anatomical basis for acupunctur…
fasciaacupunctureprimo vascular systembongan system