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 studiesThe effect of menopause on the skin and other connective tissues
This narrative review examines how menopause and the resulting decline in estrogen affect the body's connective tissues, particularly the skin. Research suggests that skin collagen levels drop significantly following me…
Massage Therapy Attenuates Inflammatory Signaling After Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage
This study investigated how massage therapy affects skeletal muscle at a cellular level after exercise-induced damage. Researchers took muscle biopsies from 11 young men after an intense workout; one leg received 10 min…
Hyaluronan injection in murine osteoarthritis prevents TGFbeta 1-induced synovial neovascularization and fibrosis and maintains articular cartilage integrity by a CD44-dependent mechanism
In this mouse study, researchers investigated how hyaluronan (HA) injections might protect joints in osteoarthritis. They found that even though the injected HA was cleared from the knee joint in under two hours, a sing…
Diet-Induced Dysbiosis of the Intestinal Microbiota and the Effects on Immunity and Disease
This 2012 narrative review explores the connection between diet, gut microbes, and the immune system. The gastrointestinal tract must balance tolerance for harmless bacteria and food with responsiveness to pathogens. An…
INTERSTITIAL FLUID AND LYMPH FORMATION AND TRANSPORT: PHYSIOLOGICAL REGULATION AND ROLES IN INFLAMMATION AND CANCER
This 2012 review explores the interstitium, the fluid-filled space surrounding our cells that contains interstitial fluid (IF). Formed by filtration from blood capillaries and cleared by lymphatic vessels, IF and its fl…
Mechanical properties of human patellar tendon at the hierarchical levels of tendon and fibril
Researchers investigated how the mechanical properties of the whole human patellar tendon compare to its individual collagen fibrils. They tested whole tendons in living subjects and then tested isolated fibrils from th…
Strain hardening of fascia: Static stretching of dense fibrous connective tissues can induce a temporary stiffness increase accompanied by enhanced matrix hydration
This study investigated why fascia sometimes gets stiffer after being stretched and then rested, a phenomenon called strain hardening. Researchers stretched fascia samples from mice and pigs, finding that after a 15-min…
Fascia as a body-wide communication system
This abstract proposes that fascia acts as a body-wide communication system. The author draws an analogy to single-celled organisms, like a paramecium, which can perform complex functions without a nervous system by rel…
Fluid Flow along Venous Adventitia in Rabbits: Is It a Potential Drainage System Complementary to Vascular Circulations?
In this animal study on rabbits, researchers investigated a potential fluid drainage system within the body's connective tissue. By injecting tracers, they visualized pathways along the loose connective tissue surroundi…
Recent Developments in Myofibroblast Biology
This 2012 narrative review summarizes advances in understanding the myofibroblast, a specialized cell crucial for both normal wound healing and the development of fibrotic diseases. The authors discuss how these cells g…
NGF-evoked sensitization of muscle fascia nociceptors in humans
This study investigated whether nerve growth factor (NGF) can sensitize pain receptors in muscle fascia. Researchers injected a small amount of NGF into the fascia of the erector spinae muscle in the lower back of 14 ma…
A RHAMM Mimetic Peptide Blocks Hyaluronan Signaling and Reduces Inflammation and Fibrogenesis in Excisional Skin Wounds
In this animal study, researchers investigated how to reduce scarring during skin wound healing. They developed a peptide, P15-1, designed to interfere with signals from fragmented hyaluronan, a molecule involved in inf…