Rolfing, also known as structural integration, is a system of connective tissue manipulation and movement education that is believed to release stress patterns, improve health, and help us to move and function with greater freedom. Rolfing was developed in the 1950s by Dr. Ida Rolf, a biochemist who was influenced by physical therapy, osteopathy, and yoga.

Rolfing Theory and Practice

According to Rolf, the continuing pull of gravity, the stress of daily activities, and physical injuries can pull the body out of alignment. The fascia, the fibrous layers that cover muscles, stiffens, shortens, and adjusts to accommodate the misalignment. Practitioners of Rolfing use their elbows, fingers, and knuckles to stretch and open fascia in order to correct the habitual patterns of misalignment in the legs, pelvis, abdomen, shoulders, and the head. This is believed to balance the nervous system and improve breathing, digestion, and physical and emotional health. Proponents of Rolfing claim that after the treatment, clients stand up straighter and gain in height and that bodily asymmetries of the soft tissue disappear. In addition to physical manipulation, Rolfing includes education in how to use the realigned body properly, as well as exploration of the emotional issues that may arise as a client’s body changes.

Rolfing Treatment

A typical course of treatment consists of a ten-session series, with a one hour session generally once a week. Each session is different, and builds on the ones that have gone before. Sessions are tailored to a client’s specific situation, and they follow a logical pattern to produce the greatest results. The practitioner begins by examining the client’s posture and to take photographs, so that the before and after changes can later be documented. The client will be asked to sit or lie on a massage table or floor mat, and the practitioner will begin the Rolfing treatment, manipulating the fascia until it returns to its original lenght. At the same time, the client is asked to breathe in sync with the manipulations.

Some people find the experience of Rolfing painful, however, this reaction pain is necessary as tissue adhesions are released and habitually poor posture is corrected.

Rolfing Benefits

Rolfing is said to help us sit and stand straighter and taller with less effort; to breathe more easiliy and fully; to look and feel lighter; to have less pain and tension in our body as it becomes more balanced and symmetrical, allowing muscles and bones to do their proper job; to use less energy for any given movement, and to perform that movement with more ease and power; and finally, to experience psychological growth as the emotional history stored in our body is released.