FASCIAL COUNTERSTRAIN
RELATED RESEARCH

Fascial Counterstrain (FCS) is solidly rooted in anatomy and various scientific principles. Below are clinical research papers that form the basis for the development of Fascial Counterstrain (FCS). These papers provide a deeper understanding of how fascia works in the body, its contribution to chronic pain, and why FCS is an ideal course of treatment for such a wide array of conditions that have traditionally been difficult to resolve.

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This technique was developed over a span of 25 years by renowned physical therapist Brian Tuckey PT, OCS, JSCCI, and is based on the original work of  Dr. Lawrence Jones, D.O.

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Fascial plasticity – a new neurobiological explanation: Part 1, Robert Schleip Phd

This article reviews the research denoting fascia as the body's largest and most vital sensory organ. It also examines the fascia's contractile ability -- like skeletal muscle -- and the implications of this feature. 

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A unifying Neuro-fasciagenic Model of Somatic Dysfunction, Underlying Mechanisms and Treatment:  Paulo Tozzi D.O., PT

 This excellent research paper reviews the neural-fascial relationship underlying chronic pain and joint dysfunction. It also discusses why a fascial-based approach, such as FCS, is so effective at targeting a large number of conditions in the body. 

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Structure and Distribution of an Unrecognized Interstitium in Human Tissues Petros C. Benia et al.

This article examines the relatively recent discovery of "interstitium" -- a micro-vascular system throughout the body that can trap irritants that cause inflammation secreted by the various tissues (organs, blood vessels, and nerves, in addition to those related to the musculoskeletal system). It is this trapped inflammation that FCS practitioners are draining out and releasing from the body during treatment. This trapped inflammation from organs, blood vessels, nerve and bone tissue in the interstitium is also what causes fascial tender points to occur, as well as why FCS is able to address impairments in every anatomical system of the body. 

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Biotensegrity: A Unifying Theory of Biological Architecture With Applications to Osteopathic Practice, Education, and Research—A Review and Analysis Randel L. Swanson II, DO, PhD. 

In this paper, the author introduces the relatively recent scientific understanding of biotensegrity and mechanotransduction that demonstrate how irregular tissue tension presents as dysfunction and disease in the body, and can cause significant health issues. Normal cell function is impaired when such abnormal tissue tension occurs, but can be fixed with manual therapy like FCS that can target changes on the soft tissue level.                                    

A New Rationale and Treatment Model for Neuromuscular Tender Points: Brian Tuckey PT, Jay P. Shah MD, Hannah Tandon BA.

Physical therapist and developer of FCS Brian Tuckey, presents a case study and provides X-ray evidence of a patient successfully healing following FCS treatments after suffering from chronic, calcified tendonitis. The patient had undergone a myriad of failed prior approaches, including shoulder decompression surgery and many weeks of post-operative conventional physical therapy. This paper also provides the developmental history of, and scientific explanation behind Facial Counterstrain. 

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The above information is referenced from Brian Tuckey, PT and founder of Fascial Counterstrain. www.tuckeypt.com