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Robert Schleip, PhD presents "Fibrosis, Force and Flow: The Multiscale Dynamics of Fascial Stiffness" at 8am PDT on Sunday, April 19, 2026.

In this upcoming Fascia Research Society webinar, Jesse Cochrane and Courtney Mascio explore the complex and often misunderstood condition of lipedema through both clinical and fascial perspectives. The session will examine current approaches to diagnosis, common clinical presentations, and the challenges many patients face in obtaining appropriate recognition and care.

Drawing on emerging research and clinical experience, the presenters will discuss the potential role of fascia and connective tissue in lipedema, including how fascial dysfunction may contribute to pain, tissue changes, mobility limitations, and altered biomechanics. The webinar will also address conservative and interdisciplinary treatment approaches, providing practical insights for clinicians working with individuals living with lipedema.

This webinar will be of interest to manual therapists, movement professionals, rehabilitation clinicians, researchers, and healthcare practitioners seeking a deeper understanding of the relationship between fascia, adipose tissue disorders, and whole-person care.

Fascia is increasingly recognized as a dynamic organ that plays essential roles in force transmission, tissue gliding, and tissue repair. Hyaluronan (HA), a major glycosaminoglycan component of the fascial extracellular matrix, has traditionally been viewed as a passive lubricant that facilitates sliding between adjacent fascial layers. However, accumulating evidence indicates that HA possesses a much broader spectrum of biological functions that extend beyond its mechanical properties. HA functions as a highly dynamic signaling molecule whose biological activities are regulated by its molecular weight, turnover, and interactions with diverse cell types and receptors.

Recent studies suggest that HA serves as a critical regulator of tissue homeostasis, orchestrating cellular responses that influence inflammation, regeneration, and fibrosis. In this presentation, “Multiple Faces of Hyaluronan in Fascia Health and Disease,” we will explore the multifaceted roles of HA in maintaining fascial health and discuss how HA signaling contributes to pathological fibrosis and impaired tissue regeneration.

The primo-vascular vessels (PVS) constitute a novel human biological system, a changing paradigm in medicine: it is a new “fluid fascia”.

We’ll envision its prospective applications for manual therapy.

In the early 1960's, a remarkable scientific discovery was made in North Korea, though went virtually unnoticed and unrecognized for nearly 40 years until 2002, where it resurfaced slowly emerging as a novel anatomical structure.

This very unique anatomo-physiologic system, entitled “primo-vascular system” (PVS), is depicted as a novel circulatory system, though set apart from those of the arterio-venous, lymphatic, and cerebrospinal systems.

One of its characteristics is that it has been described as carrying biophotons and a large quantity of small adult stem cells. It comprises immune functions, some endocrine functions and is found deeply involved in pathological processes including inflammation and cancer.

The verification of PVS presence in fascia, intravascular and extravascular spaces, on the surface of viscera, within the CNS, in cutaneous layers, and most body systems may signify a novel and complete morpho-dynamic system with potential to shift paradigms in manual therapy.