Rolfing Demonstration
This Rolfing demonstration was filmed at the Harvard Medical School during the Fascia Congress, which took place in Boston, MA. on October 4 & 5, 2007.
Introduction to Rolfing
Rolfing® Structural Integration and Sports (the Vikings)
Rolfing for Scoliosis
Scoliosis and lordosis are clinical terms that identify spinal exaggerations.
In using the terms, we speak as though the imbalance were solely or mostly
“confined to the spine. But a scoliosis is manifestly an imbalance of the body
as a whole. Arms, legs, head pelvis, and rib cage are all part of the aberration.
Since the majority of cases are mid thoracic right cases this means eighty percent of all cases have decreased heart, lung, and cardiovascular capacity. All of the diaphragms in the body are affected by the side bends with rotations and compression issues in the thorax, causing an inefficient and debilitating use of lung, heart and circulatory space.
A person who has Scoliosis tends to suffer from headaches, insomnia, back pain, shallow breathing and sciatica which are all brought about by having an elongated musculature on one side of their bodies and a shortened musculature on the other side of their bodies. This is what causes the curvature of the spine.
Rolfing is used as a means to improve these conditions by realigning and lengthening the shortened connective tissue that wraps around the muscles. In other words, it de-rotates this connective tissue. This improves your posture and movement, which can help reduce or eliminate the headaches, back pain, shoulder and neck pain that is brought on by Scoliosis.
Rolfing specializes in de-rotating the connective tissue of the thorax and entire body to bring a certain level of balance and peace to beings with rotoscoliosis. The Rolfing technology takes the whole being into consideration when exploring how to work with each individual, seeing them for more than just the product of their environmental conditioning. Certified Rolfing has the capacity to release, realign, and balance the whole body.
A few things to know before you get Rolfed
-
Rolfing is best described as a “dry rub” – like a massage without any lubricant. This means it feels different from a massge and with the wrong or inexperienced practitioner, it can hurt. And in a weird way. It’s not for the faint of heart.
-
Since Rolfing gets at areas of the body that often never get worked – such as your deep abdomen – you will feel a little sore for up to a week after each session. It’s not too bad, but does affect full range of movement.
-
Deep tissue massage or trigger point massage loosens the muscles, but not the fascia which can still restrict muscle movement. It’s like squishing an orange – while the innards will turn to juice, the outside is still rather stiff. (Ok, not the best analogy, but you get the idea).
-
Many insurance plans don’t cover it. However, it can often be included in a Flexible Savings Account (FSA) with a prescription from a doctor.
-
Rolfing has been around since the early 1900s and grew in popularity in the 1970s, so has proven itself. It’s not something brand new with no scientific backing. More about the science behind the practice can be found here:
Rolfing Research
Research on Rolfing SI
Cottingham J. Shifts in pelvic inclination angle and parasympathetic tone produced by Rolfing soft tissue manipulation. Physical Therapy 68:1364-1370, 1988.
Cottingham J, Porges SW, Lyon T. Effects of soft tissue mobilization (Rolfing pelvic lift) on parasympathetic tone in two age groups. Physical Therapy 68:352-356, 1988.
Cottingham JT. Effects of soft tissue mobilization on pelvic inclination angle, lumbar lordosis, and parasympathetic tone: Implications for treatment of disabilities associated with lumbar degenerative joint disease. Public testimony presentation to the National Center of Medical Rehabilitation Research of the National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD; March 19, 1992. Rolf Lines 20(2):42-45, 1992.
Cottingham J, Maitland J. three-paradigm treatment model using soft tissue mobilization and guided movement-awareness techniques for patients with chronic low back pain: A case study. The Journal of Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy 26(3):155-167, Sept 1997.
Cottingham J, Maitland J. Integrating manual and movement therapy with philosophical counseling for treatment of a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A case study that explores the principles of holistic intervention. Alternative Therapies In Health and Medicine 6(2): 128,120-7, Mar 2000.
Deutsch JE, Judd P, Demassi I. Structural Integration applied to patients with a primary neurologic diagnosis: two case studies. Neurology Report 21(5):161-62. 1997.
Deutsch JE, Derr LL, Judd P, et al. Treatment of chronic pain through the use of Structural Integration (Rolfing). Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Clinics of North America 9(3):411-425, 2000.
Findley TW, Quigley K, Maney M, Chaudhry H, Agbaje I. Improvement in balance with Structural Integration (Rolfing): A controlled case series in persons with myofascial pain. American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, October 9, 2004, Phoenix Arizona. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 85(9):e34, Sep 2004.
Hunt VV, Massey W, Weinberg R, Bruyere R, Hahn PM. study of Structural Integration from neuromuscular, energy field and emotional approaches. Research report submitted to the Rolf Institute. UCLA Dept. of Kinesiology. Boulder, CO: Rolf Institute for Structural Integration. 1977.
Hunt V, Massey W. Electromyographic evaluation of Structural Integration techniques. Psychoenergetic Systems 2:199-210, 1977.
Kerr H. Ureteral stent displacement associated with deep massage. Western Medical Journal 96(12):57-58. 1997
Perry J, Jones MH, Thomas L. Functional evaluation of Rolfing in cerebral palsy. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology 23(6):717-729, 1981.
Potter C. Children with cerebral palsy. Physical Therapy Forum (Western Edition) June 18, 1986
Pratt TC. Psychological effects of structural integration. Psychological Reports 35(2):856, Oct 1974.
Silverman J, Rappaport M, Hopkins HK, Ellman G, Hubbard R, Belleza T, Baldwin T, Griffin R, Kling R. Stress, stimulus intensity control, and the structural integration technique. Confinia Psychiatrica 16(3):201-19, 1973.
Solit, M. A study in structural dynamics. Journal of the American Osteopathic Association 62(30-40). 1962
Talty CM, DeMasi I, Deutsch JE. Structural integration applied to patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a retrospective chart review Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy 27(1):83, 1998.
Weinberg RS, Hunt VV. Effects of structural integration on state-trait anxiety. Journal of Clinical Psychology 35(2), April 1979.
Descriptive articles, hypotheses and reviews:
Bernau-Eigen M. Rolfing: A somatic approach to the integration of human structures. Nurse Practitioner Forum 9(4):235-42, Dec 1998.
Deutsch JE, Judd P, Demassi I. Structural Integration (Rolfing). In Complementary Therapies and Wellness J. Carlson (ed) Upper saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall. 2003.
Deutsch JE. Derr LL, Judd P, et al. The Ida Rolf method of Structural Integration. In Complementary Therapies in Rehabilitation: Evidence of Efficacy in Therapy. C. Davis (ed). SLACK. 2004.
Froment Y. Therapeutic renewal: Rolfing or structural integration. Krankenpfl Soins Infirm 77(6):68-9, Jun 1984 (Article in French).
Jacobson E. “Getting Rolfed”: Structural bodywork, biomechanics and embodiment. In Healing by Hand: Bonesetting and Manual Medicine in Global Perspective. Oths KS and Servando ZH (eds) Walnut Creek, CA: Altamira Press. 2004.
Jones TA. Rolfing. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America Journal 15(4): 799-809, Nov 2004.
Myers T. Structural Integration – developments in Ida Rolf’s ‘recipe’ – I. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies 8:131-42. 2004.
Myers T. Structural Integration – developments in Ida Rolf’s ‘recipe’ – part II. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies 8:189-98. 2004
Myers T. Structural Integration – developments in Ida Rolf’s ‘recipe’ – part III. An alternative form. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies 8:249-64. 2004
Oschman JL. Structural Integration (Rolfing), osteopathic, chiropractric, Feldenkrais, Alexander, myofascial realease, and related methods. In Energy Medicine: The Scientific Basis. JL Oshman (ed). Edinburgh: Churchill Livingston. 2000.
Rolf IP. Structural Integration. Journal of the Institute of Comparative Study of History Philosophical Sciences 1(1):3-19, 1963.
Rolf IP. Structural integration . A contribution to the understanding of stress. Confinia Psychiatrica 16(2):69-79, 1973.
Schleip R. Fascial plasticity – a new neurobiological explanation: Part 1. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies 7(1):11-19, 2003.
Schleip R. Fascial plasticity – a new neurobiological explanation: Part 2. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies 7(2):104-116, 2003.
Travazich J. Rolfing, Hellerwork and Soma. In Complementary Therapies in Rehabilitation. Thorofare NJ, Lack, Inc. 1997.
Research and reviews related to Rolfing SI
Chaudhry HR, Schleip R, Ji Z, Bukiet B, Maney M, Findley TW. Three dimensional mathematical model for deformation of human fascia in manual therapy. Journal of American Osteopathic Association in press
Chaudhry H, Huang C, Schleip R, Ji Z, Bukiet B, Findley T. Viscoelastic behavior of human fasciae under extension in manual therapy. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies 11(2), Apr 2007
Langevin HM, Sherman K. Pathophysiological model for chronic low back pain integrating connective tissue and nervous system mechanisms. Medical Hypotheses 68:74-80, 2007
Leask AD. TGF-beta signaling and the fibrotic response. FASEB J 187(7):816-27, 2004
Panjabi M. A hypothesis of chronic back pain: ligament subfailure injuries lead to muscle control dysfunction. European Spine Journal 15(5):668-76, 2006
Porges SW. Vagal tone: A physiologic marker of stress vulnerability. Pediatrics 90(3):498-504, Sep 1992
Schleip R, Klingler W, Lehmann-Horn F. Active fascial contractility: Fascia may be able to contract in a smooth muscle-like manner and thereby influence musculoskeletal dynamics. Medical Hypotheses 65(2):273-277, 2005
Schleip R, Klinger W, Lehmann-Horn F. Active fascial contractility: Fascia is able to contract and relax in a smooth muscle like manner and thereby influence biomechanical behavior. Acta Physiological 186 (Suppl 1)247, 2006
Schleip R, Naylor IL, Ursu D, Melzer W, Zorn A, Wilke HJ, Lehmann-Horn F, Klingler W. Passive muscle stiffness may be influenced by active contractility of intramuscular connective tissue. Medical Hypotheses 66(1):66-71, 2006
Schleip, R Lehmann-Horn F, Klinger W. Letter to the editor concerning: “A hypothesis of chronic back pain: ligament subfailure injuries lead to muscle control dysfunction.” (M. Panjabi). European Spine Journal 2007
Schleip R, Zorn A, Lehmann-Horn F, Klinger W. Active fascial contractility: an in vitro mechanographic investigation. In Fascia research – basic science and implications for conventional and complementary health care. (TW Findley and R Schleip (eds) Munich: Elsevier Science, p. 82, 2007
Threlkeld AJ. The effects of manual therapy on connective tissue. Physical Therapy 72(12):893-902, 1992
Vleeming A, Pool-Goudzwaard AL, Stoeckart R, Van Wingerden JP, Snijders CJ. The posterior layer of the thoracolumbar fascia. Its function in load transfer from spine to legs. Spine 20(7):753-58, 1995
Weinberg RS, Hunt VV. Interrelationships between anxiety, motor behavior and electromyography. Journal of Motor Behavior 8(3) 219-224, 1976
Why People Use Rolfing
Why People Get Rolfed
There are many factors Why People Get Rolfed? Firstly, stress of any kind shortens and tightens the body. Over time, that tightness will lock into connective tissue and diminish flexibility and cause chronic pain until it is released. People who suffer from all kinds of chronic muscular pain will seek out Rolfing.
These include athletes and performers of all kinds who wish to use Rolfing® to enhance their overall balance and body awareness as part of a lifestyle that includes a balanced diet, exercise and a holistic understanding of health.
Rolfing® also offers great benefits to computer users whose posture, shoulders, arms, and wrists become uncomfortable from long hours of use.
Rolfing Benefits for
-
Chronic Pain
-
Lower Back pain
-
Hip, knee or Ankle pain
-
Neck or Back problems
-
Poor posture
-
Scoliosis
-
Whiplash
-
Frozen shoulders
-
Sports Injuries
-
Slips and Falls
Rolfing Gives you
-
Improved Structural Alignment
-
Improved sense of Balance
-
Better grace and poise
-
More Energy
Rolfing Founder
Ida P. Rolf, a native New Yorker, graduated from Barnard College in 1916; and in 1920 she earned a Ph.D. in biological chemistry from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University. For the next twelve years Ida Rolf worked at the Rockefeller Institute, first in the Department of Chemotherapy and later in the Department of Organic Chemistry. Eventually, she rose to the rank of Associate, no small achievement for a young woman in those days.
In 1927, she took a leave of absence from her work to study mathematics and atomic physics at the Swiss Technical University in Zurich. During this time, she also studied homeopathic medicine in Geneva.
Returning from Europe, she spent the decade of the 1930’s seeking answers to personal and family health problems. Medical treatment available at that time seemed inadequate to her; this led to her exploration of osteopathy, chiropractic medicine, yoga, the Alexander technique and Korzybski’s work on states of consciousness.
By the 1940’s, she was working in a Manhattan apartment where her schedule was filled with people seeking help. She was committed to the scientific point of view, and yet many breakthroughs came intuitively through the work she did with chronically disabled persons unable to find help elsewhere. This was the work eventually to be known as Structural 
Integration. For the next thirty years, Ida Rolf devoted herself to developing her technique and training programs.
During the 1950’s, her reputation spread to England where she spent summers as a guest of John Bennett, a prominent mystic and student of Gurdjieff. Then, in the mid-60’s, Dr. Rolf was invited to Esalen Institute in California at the suggestion of Fritz Perls, founder of Gestalt Therapy. There she began training practitioners and instructors of Structural Integration.
The more Structural Integration classes Ida Rolf taught, the more students sought admission to training. Newspaper and magazine articles began featuring the person and work of Ida Rolf, and soon the necessity for a formal organization became apparent. As early as 1967, the first Guild for Structural Integration was loosely formed and eventually headquartered in a private home in Boulder, Colorado.
Until her death in 1979, Ida Rolf actively advanced training classes, giving direction to her organization, planning research projects, writing, publishing and public speaking. In 1977, she wrote Rolfing: The Integration of Human Structures (Harper and Row, Publishers). This book is the major written statement of Ida P. Rolf’s scholastic and experiential investigation into the direct intervention with the evolution of the human species.
FAQs about Rolfing
Does Rolfing hurt?
Rolfing’s reputation for being painful came mostly from its earlier days when it was first becoming popular. Over the years, the Rolfing community has developed and discovered new ways of working gently with the body. I always put clients in charge of regulating the pressure and depth of the work; the session’s work may vary anywhere from deep to quite gentle. Most clients report the feel of Rolfing as very unique and satisfying as compared to other types of bodywork. Sensations in the areas being worked often range from momentary discomfort to pleasurable warmth and release. Rolfing should never feel sharply painful or overwhelming.
How is Rolfing different from Chiropractic and massage?
Chiropractic therapy tends to focus on bone alignment and individualjoints, and typically uses high velocity thrusting methods. However, unless the tension and strain in the soft tissue (fascia, muscles, tendons, ligaments) is addressed, the bones will continue to be pulled out of alignment. Rolfing, on the other hand, involves slower sustained pressures and addresses the entire bed of soft tissue in which the bones are embedded. The goal is to achieve balanced tension which allows the bones to fall back into their proper relationships naturally.
The goals of most types of massage focuses on relaxing individual muscles whereas Rolfing looks to realign and re-sculpt the entire body into a better working (and feeling) unit. The goals of Rolfing require clients to be actively involved during sessions by performing specific movements, noticing sensations, and often times getting off of the table to sit, stand, or walk.
Do I have to commit to an extended series of sessions?
No. While Rolfing is most effective in the context of a 10-15 session series, it is not always necessary for an individual to complete all 10-15. A series of at least ten sessions gives the Rolfer opportunity to fully address the entire body and the way it works as a whole unit. Our bodies did not shape into their patterns overnight so it does take some time so reverse 20, 30, 40 years full of bumps, bruises, and poor posture and body usage. Of course, it is perfectly fine for clients to come for a fewer number of sessions as well. It is a common opinion that a trial of three sessions will give clients an idea if Rolfing is right for them and their specific situation.
What should I wear?
Because I need to see your structure before, during, and after the session most clients, both men and women, go through the sessions in their regular underwear. However, I want you to feel comfortable in my office so gym shorts and sports bras are also fine (the less area of the back the sports bra takes up the better). Once you are on the table, you can have a sheet or blanket to cover up with if you wish.
Can children and seniors receive Rolfing?
Absolutely. Rolfing is gentle enough for both. Children’s treatments are much shorter in length and can be effective for early postural problems like pigeon toes, duck feet, scoliosis, etc. Seniors can benefit from better posture, increased flexibility and range of motion.
Who Gets Rolfed?
Athletes, dancers, children, students of yoga and meditation, 
musicians, business people, people riddled with chronic pain and stress. People from all walks of life and of all ages come to Rolfing not only for relief from their pain and stress, but also for improved performance in their professions and daily activities.
Do the changes from Rolfing last?
Yes. Photos show the changes from Rolfing to be long lasting. Modifications to our alignment and usage patterns, such as sitting, standing, and walking, help the body maintain its new structure. The nature of Rolfing is to work with the body, not on it; this allows clients to take ownership of the body’s new structure.
Dr. Oz Rolfing on Oprah
If you’re plagued by muscle pain, Dr. Oz recommends a technique called Rolfing, which he describes as “even deeper than a deep-tissue massage.”
This technique, which was developed by Dr. Ida Pauline Rolf, aims to separate bound-up connective tissues (or fascia), which link the muscles. “Rolfing literally releases the joints,” Dr. Oz says. “When you talk to folks about the impact it has on them, a lot of them just stand taller. A lot is just freeing you up to live the way you’re supposed to live.”
If you’re plagued by muscle pain, Dr. Oz recommends a technique called Rolfing, which he describes as “even deeper than a deep-tissue massage.”
This technique, which was developed by Dr. Ida Pauline Rolf, aims to separate bound-up connective tissues (or fascia), which link the muscles. “Rolfing literally releases the joints,” Dr. Oz says. “When you talk to folks about the impact it has on them, a lot of them just stand taller. A lot is just freeing you up to live the way you’re supposed to live.”
