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+++2010
Hindlimb response to tactile stimulation of the pastern and coronet
H M Clayton, A D White, L J Kaiser, S Nauwelaerts, M Lavagnino, N C StubbsThis study investigated how lightweight tactile stimulators placed around horses' hind pasterns affect their movement patterns at a trot. Researchers found that the stimulation caused the horses to lift their hooves sig…
Rehabilitationphysiotherapytactile stimulationjoint motion - A2010
Role of Matrix-Rhythm-Therapy in the treatment of non-traumatic restricted movements of shoulder
Sandeep BhagwatThis study investigated the effectiveness of Matrix-Rhythm-Therapy (MRT) for treating shoulder pain and stiffness not caused by injury. Forty patients received one hour of MRT weekly for three weeks, combined with daily…
CyberneticsNonlinear ThermodynamicsMatrix-Rhythm-Therapy (MaRhyThe®)vibrations - A2010
Spontaneous and visible light-induced ultraweak photon emission from rat eyes
Chao Wanga, István Bókkonb, Jiapei Daia, István AntalcIn this in vitro study on rats, researchers found that isolated parts of the eye—the whole eye, lens, vitreous humor, and retina—emit extremely faint light, or photons. This photon emission occurred both spontaneously a…
fasciabioluminescent photonslipid peroxidationdiscrete dark noiseretinal phosphenes - C2010
Fibroblast-like synoviocytes: key effector cells in rheumatoid arthritis
Beatrix Bartok, Gary S FiresteinRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a complex disease involving multiple immune cells. This review highlights the crucial role of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS), cells in the joint lining that become unusually aggressive i…
inflammationcytokinessignaling proteinrheumatoid arthritis - A+++2010
Electrical impedance of acupuncture meridians: the relevance of subcutaneous collagenous bands
Andrew C Ahn, Min Park, Jessica R Shaw, Claire A McManus, Ted J Kaptchuk, Helene M LangevinThis study investigated whether acupuncture meridians are characterized by lower electrical impedance and if this is linked to subcutaneous connective tissue. Researchers measured three meridians in 28 healthy subjects…
Acupuncture - A2010
Comparison of Trunk Proprioception Between Patients With Low Back Pain and Healthy Controls
Angela S Lee, Jacek Cholewicki, Peter Reeves, Bohdanna T Zazulak, Lawrence W MysliwiecIn this case-control study, researchers compared trunk proprioception, or the sense of body position and movement, between 24 patients with non-specific low back pain and 24 healthy controls. Participants' ability to se…
Kinesthesis; Low back pain; Proprioception; Rehabilitation; Spine - A2009
The Hard Life of Soft Cells
P A Janmey, J P Winer, M E Murray, Q WenThis brief review explores how cells function as both mechanical and chemical machines. Cells constantly generate and respond to physical forces within their environment, the extracellular matrix. The stiffness of this…
fasciamechanotransductionsubstrate stiffnesscell mechanics - A2009
Fascia: A missing link in our understanding of the pathology of fibromyalgia
Ginevra L LiptanThis 2009 paper proposes that inflammation in the fascia, the body's connective tissue, could be a key source of the persistent pain signals that lead to central sensitization in fibromyalgia. While muscle tissue itself…
inflammationfasciaConnective tissueMyofascial releaseManual Therapy - A+2009
Increased pain from muscle fascia following eccentric exercise: animal and human findings
William Gibson, Lars Arendt-Nielsen, Toru Taguchi, Kazue Mizumura, Thomas Graven-NielsenThis study, combining animal and human experiments, investigated the source of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after eccentric exercise. Researchers induced DOMS in participants' tibialis anterior muscle, then inje…
fasciahypertonic salineExperimental painDeep tissueEccentric exercise - A2009
The treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain following the principles of the Fascial Distortion Modell (FDM)
Rainer EngelThis small study investigated the effect of two Fascial Distortion Model (FDM) treatments on 22 people with chronic low back pain. Researchers measured pain, function, flexibility (finger-floor distance), and use of pai…
Manual Therapyfasciaefascial distortion modelreductionismtypaldos - C2009
Effect of surgical traumas on microcirculation
Visweswar Bhattacharya, Biswajit Mishra, Binayak Mishra, Umesh Kumar, Siddhartha BhattacharyaThis study observed the live effects of common surgical instruments on the tiny blood vessels within fascia. Researchers used tissue flaps from patients' lower legs and examined them under a microscope. They found that…
Microcirculationsurgical traumacautery traumaclamp traumaforceps trauma - A++2009
Imaging of Ultraweak Spontaneous Photon Emission from Human Body Displaying Diurnal Rhythm
Masaki Kobayashi, Daisuke Kikuchi, Hitoshi OkamuraThe human body emits an extremely faint light, about 1000 times dimmer than what our naked eyes can detect. This phenomenon, known as ultraweak photon emission, is thought to be linked to the body's energy metabolism. U…
fasciabiophotonsultraweak photonsdiurnal rhythm