Rolfing
What is it?
Over half a century ago, Dr Ida P Rolf realised that the body is a system of endless tissue networks. These connective tissues (or fascia) support, surround and penetrate all bone, organs, nerve fibre and muscle. Dr Rolf went on to found Rolfing Structural Integration (Rolfing SI), a form of bodywork designed to work on this web-like connective tissue to realign, balance and release the whole body.
How does it work?
Rolfing isn't a quick fix.
"It took time to get into chronic pain; it will take some time to recover,"
- Certified Advanced Rolfer Jennifer Rock.
Many people use rolfing SI to resolve discomfort, reduce compensations and tension, and alleviate pain. The treatment makes you feel much more comfortable in your body with increased energy levels and flexibility. This ease and comfort within are thanks to Dr Rolf's insight that the body functions most effectively and is more at ease when it is well-balanced in gravity.
People generally seek Rolfing SI as pain relief, to ease chronic stress, and improve professional and daily performance.
Research has shown that Rolfing SI creates more efficient muscle use, which allows the body to conserve energy by creating more economical movement patterns. Most interestingly, Rolfing SI is also shown to reduce chronic stress and enhance neurological functioning.
"In a basic 10 series of Rolfing sessions, a Rolfing practitioner systematically addresses the places of strain, misalignment, and restricted motion that exist within the body pattern as a whole," explains Russell Stolzoff, Certified Advanced Rolfer and senior faculty member at the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration.
Rolfing SI works on the whole interconnected pattern rather than zoning in on specific areas.
During the treatment, Rolfing SI works to a set series called the Ten-Series. This system of treatments is designed to optimise and balance the structure and function of the entire body.
While each session focuses on a particular body region, the practitioner will also maintain a holistic view of the entire system to ensure the transformation is comfortable and harmonious.
"Sometimes where you feel pain is a point of strain within a larger pattern,"
- Russell Stolzoff.
This modality is somewhat similar to massage, although the pace is slow, and the pressure can vary depending on needs, with some being fairly deep. The client lies, loosely clothed on a treatment table as tensions and restrictions are released, and it's worth noting that you are expected to be engaged throughout the process. You may be asked to assist by monitoring how you feel, using your breath, or making movements. All this is to help you "tune in" to your body as a whole.
When working with chronic pain, the advice of Certified Advanced Rolfer Jennifer Rock is to be patient. Even though improvements can be noticed with every session, she recommends allowing one month of weekly sessions for every year of pain.
Is this for you?
Rolfing is focused on your posture, how your overall body moves, e.g. is it aligned, and if the right muscles moving / supporting at the right moment.
If you have already tried physiotherapy in all its shapes and formats (more scientifically supported) and you’re still struggling with posture, pain, misalignment and other complaints related to your musculoskeletal system, Rolfing could be a next step.
Rolfing addresses structural (think postural) and functional (think movement) aspects of chronic pain. Rolfing can be helpful when chronic stiffness, compression from injury or surgery, held postures that inhibit fluid motion, or repetitive motion are keeping your pain levels up.
Rolfing much like other physical therapies focus on the physical aspect of the tension, however in Rolfing the Fascia gets priority. How fascia works is that it overtime gets stronger, and additionally ‘connects’ to muscles and tissue.
This is good news, but can also be bad news, where the Fascia constricts your mobility.
As its focus is on the soft tissue (Fascia) around your muscles as well as your muscles, expect the progress to come in those regions. If these are some of the complaints that you are struggling with, it could be interesting to further discuss with a Rolfing therapist how they think your body could improve.
When talking structure and alignment, of course also chiropractic therapy comes up. There are two main differences: chiropractic therapy can be considered as more intense as well as invasive, as the adjustments at time can be quite strong. Secondly, where chiropractic therapy focuses on the spine and all its adhesive bone structures, Rolfing is focused on the soft tissue around it.
May you feel a pinch in your muscles Rolfing could make more sense, whereas if your symptoms are more in your spinal column perhaps a visit to a chiropractor’s office for an intake could be more useful.
What is my experience?
Rolfing has changed my posture. and in a way, my life. Rolfing was not my number one choice for treatment, and I booked a treatment more out of curiosity than out of hope for improvement. In my opinion the treatment feels very much like Osteopathy and I expected similar results.
However, I for sure did experience much more result, and this has a lot to do with body awareness, overall body shape as well as posture. I’m not sure how to explain it but through Rolfing some parts of my body have completely changed in form. Collarbones more pronounced, chest more open, shoulders lower and to the back. A change in my pelvic bone as well as increased range of motion in my hips.
I have stood in front of the mirror looking at my body with great surprise, almost not believing the changes I saw in my body.
If someone asks: did it help for my chronic pain? I would say: not yet too much, but I believe in the (slow) ability of my body to over time keep continuing this progress and impact my pain. I do notice that now that my posture is better, I need to sit down less because I’m able to use the right muscles when I’m standing up. Instead of never being able to stand in any line longer than 10 minutes, I think now I’ve tripled that to 30 minutes without too many complaints. Furthermore a big injury that I cannot get rid off (a frozen shoulder I ‘woke up with’ one day) has slightly improved.
I’ve just finished my first 10 sessions (= 10 weeks) and will let it go a bit from there, I do feel much better after every Rolfing treatment so I can definitely recommend others to find a professional close to their home and try it out.
How can I try this?
If you’re interested in this treatment, and you have no one in your network that can recommend you someone, Google is your best friend. With the above key-words and desired area you should get quite a lot of result. Please check out my article on How to book a treatment for the first time here.
Disclaimer:
This blog provides general information and discussion about health, treatments and related subjects. I try to shine light on a vast and often ambiguous arena by sharing my own experiences. The words and other content provided in this blog, as well as any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. I’m not a medical expert. If the reader or any other person has a medical concern, he or she should consult with an appropriately-licensed physician or other health care worker.