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++2014
Antioxidants, inflammation and cardiovascular disease
Harald Mangge, Kathrin Becker, Dietmar Fuchs, Johanna M GostnerThis narrative review explores the links between inflammation, oxidative stress, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The authors explain that chronic immune activation in CVD leads to high levels of reactive oxygen specie…
Antioxidative therapy; Atherogenesis; Cardiovascular disease; Homocysteine; Neopterin; Nitric oxide; Oxidative stress; Tetrahydrobiopterin; Tryptophan; Vitamins. - A2014
Primary frozen shoulder: brief review of pathology and imaging abnormalities
Kazuya Tamai, Miwa Akutsu, Yuichiro YanoThis narrative review examines the underlying pathology of primary frozen shoulder, a condition causing spontaneous pain and stiffness in the shoulder joint. The authors summarize evidence indicating that the main issue…
frozen shoulderAdhesive capsulitisShoulder painTherapy - A++2014
Low-intensity vibration improves angiogenesis and wound healing in diabetic mice
Eileen M Weinheimer-Haus, Stefan Judex, William J Ennis, Timothy J KohThis animal study investigated if whole-body low-intensity vibration (LIV) could improve chronic wound healing in diabetic mice. Mice with surgical wounds received either 30 minutes of daily vibration or a sham treatmen…
wound healingvibrationsdiabetic wounds - A++2014
The Role of Functional Foods in Cutaneous Anti-aging
Soyun ChoThis narrative review examines how functional foods and oral supplements may influence skin aging by addressing oxidative stress and inflammation. Research suggests that compounds such as carotenoids, aloe vera, red gin…
Anti-oxidant; Collagen; Functional foods; Photoaging - A2014
Antioxidants in health and disease
E Ginter, V Simko, V PanakovaThis narrative review summarizes research on antioxidants published since 2010. The main role of antioxidants is to neutralize reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are linked to conditions like cardiovascular disease, c…
antioxidantsreactive oxygen species (ROS)vitamin C and Ecarotenoidspolyphenols - A++2014
Vibration therapy: clinical applications in bone
William R Thompson, Sherwin S Yen, Janet RubinThis review article explores vibration therapy as a way to mimic the positive effects of physical activity on bone and muscle, especially for frail individuals who cannot exercise. Animal and human studies suggest that…
low-intensity vibration; mesenchymal stem cells; osteocyte; osteoporosis - 1A+2014
The Medium of Haptic Perception: A Tensegrity Hypothesis
Michael T Turvey, Sérgio T FonsecaIn this theoretical paper, the authors propose a new hypothesis for how our sense of touch, or haptic perception, works. Unlike other senses that have a clear medium (like air for sound), the haptic system lacks one. Th…
fasciaConnective tissuecytoskeletonhaptic systemmultifractal tensegrity - A2014
Deformations Experienced in the Human Skin, Adipose Tissue, and Fascia in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
Hans Chaudhry, Bruce Bukiet, Zhiming Ji, Antonio Stecco, Thomas W FindleyThis study used a mathematical model to investigate how forces from manual therapy affect the skin, adipose tissue, and fascia. The researchers aimed to understand how much each layer deforms under compression and shear…
fasciaosteopathyManual Therapy - A2014
The cervical myodural bridge, a review of literature and clinical implications
Dennis E Enix, Frank Scali, Matthew E PontellThis literature review examines the cervical myodural bridge, a soft tissue connection between deep suboccipital muscles and the dura mater surrounding the spinal cord. This bridge appears to anchor the spinal cord and…
fasciarectus capitis posterior majordura materMyodural Bridgeobliquus capitis inferior - A2014
Mapping Sensory Nerve Communications Between Peripheral Nerve Territories
ADIL LADAK, R SHANE TUBBS, ROBERT J SPINNERIn this literature review, researchers examined the traditional maps of skin sensation, known as dermatomes. They searched for evidence of direct communications between sensory nerves from different, adjacent spinal ner…
dermatomes; nerve; communications; map; cutaneous; sensory - A2014
Clinical and symptomatological reflections: the fascial system
Bruno Bordoni, Emiliano ZanierThis narrative review discusses the fascial system as a continuous network of connective tissue that gives form and function to the entire body. The authors note that despite its importance in transmitting force, coordi…
fasciapainlow back painOsteopathicneck - A2014
Ultrasound Elastography: The New Frontier in Direct Measurement of Muscle Stiffness
Joline E Brandenburg, Sarah F Eby, Pengfei Song, Heng Zhao, Jeffrey S Brault, Shigao Chen, Kai-Nan AnThis 2014 review article describes ultrasound elastography, a technology that can directly measure the mechanical properties of tissue, such as muscle stiffness. The authors suggest that its real-time measurements can a…
musclesElastographydiagnostic imagingelasticityhardness