A Primer on Rolfing® Structural Integration

 What Rolfing Is and Is Not

Rolfing® Structural Integration has been around for decades, yet despite publicity on Oprah and in many major news and specialty magazines, many people still have not heard of this work, or have a mistaken idea of what it is.

Let’s start with what Rolfing is not, by busting a few myths. It is not a form of massage. It is not chiropractic. It is not devastatingly painful.

What Rolfing is, is a sophisticated form of hands-on bodywork that aligns the body in gravity by balancing the fascia (connective tissue). Because it aims to align the body, it shares a goal with chiropractic, and Rolfing sessions will definitely help your chiropractic adjustments to hold and reduce the need for frequent chiropractic visits. But Rolfers do not adjust vertebrae or other joints; we work with the fascia that puts tension on the joints and pulls them out of alignment.

Like massage, Rolfing is a hands-on form of manual therapy, so to the observer there will seem to be a similarity. However, most forms of massage aim to influence the muscles, while Rolfing aims to influence the fascia. As a result, massage will help with things like circulation, general muscle tension, and lymphatic drainage. In contrast, Rolfing will improve posture – as fascia is what shapes the body – and create space in the envelopes of fascia that contain the muscles to allow more permanent relief of tension and pain. Using a simple metaphor, in your body the bones are the scaffolding, the muscles are the movers, and the fascia is the “shrink wrap” that holds it all together in a particular shape. Rolfers receive special training in postural analysis to understand what is behind any twists and turns in the shaping of your body, and we use our hands to “sculpt” the fascia into optimal organization. For this reason, Rolfing is subtitled “structural integration”.

Clients commonly report that Rolfing feels completely different than massage and gets different results. As for the stories that Rolfing hurts? When we work the fascia, typical sensations are burning, tingling, or intensity. That intensity, if it hurts, should feel like “good pain.” As a client, you can communicate with your Rolfer to define the level of intensity that feels best to you and gets the best results. There are ways of working that can bring the work completely into a pleasant threshold, if you find any kind of intensity too much.

Ida P. Rolf’s Genius

Rolfing was developed by Ida P. Rolf, Ph.D., a biochemist. She called the work “Structural Integration,” but her students nicknamed it Rolfing, which eventually became the formal name. Rolf developed her work in the 1930s and 1940s, and thus is among that brilliant generation of mind and body pioneers that included Moshe Feldenkrais, Joseph Pilates, Fritz Perls and others. Rolf’s genius was in 1) recognizing the role of fascia as a support structure and 2) the role of gravity on the body, and in 3) creating a form of bodywork to sculpt the fascia into a more organized structure. Although other bodywork techniques may work with fascia, only Rolfing and other forms of structural integration (eg., Hellerwork) have taken to heart Dr. Rolf’s view that by aligning the fascia you align the body in gravity, so that gravity supports you rather than drags you down.

Looking at this in more detail, what is the fascia? If you have ever cut up a raw steak, you’ll have noticed that besides the dense white fat, there is a slick and strong form of tissue that is whitish or grayish that adheres to parts of the meat. These are remnants of fascia that the butcher has not removed. In the body, every muscle is wrapped in fascia. When a muscle is worked in a balanced way – that is, both used (contracted) and stretched (lengthened) – the fascial wrapping stays elastic and flexible. When a muscle is contracted more than it is lengthened – which can come about from poor posture, repetitive motion, strengthening without stretching, or injury – then the fascial wrapping loses its elasticity and becomes like vacuum wrapping that keeps the muscle short and tight despite stretching and/or massage. By working the fascia, Rolfing can expand the “shrink-wrap,” so that muscles and fascia together can come into optimal length and balance.

Next, what does it mean that gravity can support you? Think of that “sweet spot” you can sometimes find, balancing a pencil upright on your fingertip, or a broom upright in the palm of your hand. If your body could stand upright with the same ease, think of how relaxed you could be, how comfortable in your skin. In Rolfing we align body segments (feet, legs, pelvis, torso, shoulder girdle, neck, head) one on top of the other so that your body too finds this “sweet spot” that Rolfers call “being on your Line.” This frees up chronic holding and tension, opens energy and emotional blocks, and relieves many forms of musculoskeletal pain. Aligning the body and freeing fascial restrictions also promotes economy of movement – it is easier to move your body, you have better range of motion, so body performance improves, making Rolfing popular among athletes, dancers, and yogis.

How Is Rolfing Done?

Rolfing is traditionally done as a 10-session series. Each session has a particular goal and a particular “territory” of the body to work. How that goal will be achieved is unique to each individual, and will be determined by a visual analysis and palpation assessments. We eventually work through the whole body, taking apart old patterns and creating new integration. I like to think of the 10-session series as the body’s 50,000 mile tune-up. Most clients report that the series gives them more energy and flexibility as well as taking away most of their musculoskeletal aches and pains.

For clients who have one particular physical problem, or a recent injury (such as an auto accident), many Rolfers will use a “fix-it” approach first, to get you pain relief. They are still using the Rolfing approach of assessing the whole body and creating balance and alignment. Once an injury has resolved, many clients go on to do the 10-session series.

Sessions are typically done with a client in either underwear or sports shorts and sports bra. You will be in comfortable positions, either lying on a bodywork table, or sitting on a Rolfing bench. At times you will be asked to walk around the room, either for gait assessment or for you to monitor what you feel. You are encouraged to remain in communication with your practitioner about what you are feeling and noticing in your body and your larger experience.

How Do I Find a Rolfer?

Only graduates of the Rolf Institute® of Structural Integration in Boulder, Colorado are entitled to call their work Rolfing® and themselves Rolfers (both are registered service/trade marks). They are either a Certified Rolfer or a Certified Advanced Rolfer depending on their level of training. The Rolf Institute website – www.rolf.org – has a list of Rolfers worldwide that you can consult to find a practitioner in your area. Visit practitioners’ websites and call a few to ask questions to determine who is the best fit for you.

Why Should I Consider Rolfing®?

If you feel stuck or trapped in your body, or have unresolved pain or poor posture, Rolfing could be the key to reclaiming your body and moving your life to a better place. It only takes a few sessions to get a sense of whether Rolfing is a fit for you at this time. Most of the Rolfers I know entered the profession because receiving Rolfing sessions had a profound impact on their lives – whether improving their posture, helping them recover from a major auto accident or other injury, or relieving chronic pain. It truly has the potential to change lives.