Bonaldi Lorenza, Berardo Alice, Stecco Antonio, Stecco Carla, Fontanella Chiara Giulia
Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy.
Centre for Mechanics of Biological Materials, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy.
Diagnostics (Basel). 2025 Aug 16;15(16):2059. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics15162059.
The hypothesis that fascial thickness variability may serve as a biomarker for low back pain (LBP) requires a clear understanding of typical thickness values in both LBP and non-LBP populations-an area still lacking in the literature. This narrative review aims to define reference values and patterns of variability for the superficial fascia, deep fascia, and subcutaneous tissue in individuals with and without LBP. A literature search was conducted in PubMed and ScienceDirect using keywords such as , , , , , , , and . Inclusion criteria focused on human studies with proper identification of the relevant soft tissue structures. A total of 21 studies, published up to February 2024, met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. The review revealed notable intra- and inter-study variability in the thickness of the investigated structures. In LBP populations, both deep fascia and subcutaneous tissues were generally equal to or thicker than in controls (non-LBP), whereas consistent data on superficial fascia thickness remain limited. Age, sex, and anatomical location were discussed as potential influencing factors. These findings support the establishment of reference thickness values for subcutaneous and fascial tissues and encourage further investigation into their structural and functional roles in LBP. The observed variability may offer a basis for patient- and site-specific assessment and intervention strategies.
筋膜厚度变异性可能作为腰痛(LBP)生物标志物的假说,需要清楚了解LBP人群和非LBP人群的典型厚度值——这是文献中仍缺乏的一个领域。本叙述性综述旨在确定有和没有LBP的个体中浅筋膜、深筋膜和皮下组织的参考值及变异性模式。在PubMed和ScienceDirect上进行了文献检索,使用了诸如……等关键词。纳入标准侧重于对相关软组织结构有正确识别的人体研究。共有21项截至2024年2月发表的研究符合纳入标准并进行了分析。该综述揭示了所研究结构厚度在研究内和研究间存在显著变异性。在LBP人群中,深筋膜和皮下组织通常等于或厚于对照组(非LBP),而关于浅筋膜厚度的一致数据仍然有限。年龄、性别和解剖位置被讨论为潜在影响因素。这些发现支持建立皮下和筋膜组织的参考厚度值,并鼓励进一步研究它们在LBP中的结构和功能作用。观察到的变异性可能为针对患者和部位的评估及干预策略提供基础。
Diagnostics (Basel). 2025-8-16
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