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Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies (2015) xx, 1e2
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
ScienceDirect
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/jbmt
FASCIA SCIENCE AND CLINICAL APPLICATIONS: BOOK REVIEW
Functional Atlas of the Human Fascial System, C. Stecco.
Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh (2015).
It is rare to get the opportunity to review a book that fills a
void like no other. Often, medical textbooks are updated
variations of previous publications perhaps from a slightly
different perspective, or based on new theoretical de-
velopments in a particular field, or featuring new treat-
ment techniques. In the field of anatomy, most anatomy
books are variations of topographical representations of the
human body with a review of isolated anatomical struc-
tures, such as muscles, bones, ligaments, nerves, and oc-
casionally the skin, going all the way back to Vesalius.
Andreas Vesalius (1514e1564), a professor of anatomy at
the University of Padua in northern Italy, was only twenty-
eight years old when he published “De humani corporis
fabrica libri septem,” which became one of the most
influential anatomy atlases in history. Vesalius’ atlas was a
true parting from the writings of the ancient Greek au-
thority Aelius Galen, which for many centuries dominated
European medical science even though the anatomical
drawings were based on dissections of mammals, including
pigs and monkeys.
How fitting it is that some five hundred years later,
another anatomist from northern Italy once again breaks
the anatomical mold. Where more standard topographical
anatomy books feature reviews of muscles, joints and lig-
aments after the fascia has been removed, orthopedic
surgeon and anatomist Carla Stecco spent the past 10 years
dissecting fresh human cadavers to better appreciate
fascial anatomy, the continuity of the fascia through its
many connections to other structures, and its implications
for clinical practice. A five-hundred-year tradition of
anatomy studies at the University of Padua continues with
this groundbreaking fascial anatomy book.
The book starts with a detailed overview of connective
tissue and subcutaneous and deep fascia both from a
macroscopic and microscopic perspective, followed by
excellent descriptions of the fascia of the head and neck,
thorax and abdomen, back, and extremities. The book is
illustrated with the very best, high-quality photographs I
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2015.06.010
have ever seen in any book. Every picture illustrates the
multidimensional nature of fascia and its integral connec-
tions to other structures. Supported by a very comprehen-
sive, but easy to read text, this unique anatomy book
provides visual evidence that in clinical practice, the role
of fascia cannot be overstated. Where many clinicians feel
that “pain is in the brain” without considering peripheral
relationships throughout the body, this book will require a
new look and approach in how clinicians think about the
human body. After all, it is because of these fascial in-
terconnections, that we can move freely, express our-
selves, and engage in athletic activities, among others.
Stecco did not include joint capsules, ligaments, tendons,
and loose connective tissue, but that does not reduce the
value of this marvelous book. The book is a very welcome
change of direction after so many years of incomplete
topographical atlases.
Clinicians may think that the whole body has already
been studied in detail and mapped out in anatomy books,
but in reality, much of the human body has not yet been
explored in sufficient detail and many questions remain
unanswered. Stecco has provided a phenomenal resource
that may provide new answers to questions that have
mesmerized clinicians and researchers for centuries. At the
same time, the book gives answers to questions that have
not yet been asked. More traditional anatomists will have
to rethink what they may have learned during their anat-
omy studies. Topographical anatomy books may have to be
rewritten and include many of the fascial secrets Stecco
has begun to unravel. Clinicians may have to modify their
treatment approaches, ranging from how to optimally
stretch muscles to how to take advantage of fascial lines
using athletic tape.
This book belongs in the curriculum of any university
teaching human anatomy, including medical and osteo-
pathic institutions, physical therapy and manual therapy
programs, chiropractic education, massage and myother-
apy courses, Rolfing Structural Integration classes, and
other bodywork programs. Clinicians interested in
advancing their understanding of human anatomy and the
consequences for clinical practice should add this book to
their libraries. As an additional benefit, the book includes
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2 Fascia science and clinical applications: Book review
an online video bank with 14 excellent videos further
demonstrating the fascial connections with muscles and
ligaments.
Carla Stecco’s Functional Atlas of the Human Fascial
System indeed fills a void that many did not know even
existed. I wish all books would be such a delight to review.
Don’t wait any longer and start reading this magnificent
book!
Jan Dommerholt, PT, DPT, DAAPM *
Bethesda Physiocare, Bethesda, MD, USA
Myopain Seminars, Bethesda, MD, USA
PhysioFitness, Rockville, MD, USA
*Bethesda Physiocare, Bethesda, MD, USA.
E-mail address: dommerholt@myopainseminars.com (J.
Dommerholt)