Rolfing Digs Deep to Restore Balance

by Lisa Pencraft

Although less well known than massage, Rolfing’s ability to restore lasting balance in the body bases its rising popularity among those in search of relief from imbalances resulting from physical injury, illness and the inescapable pull of gravity. Unlike massage, Rolfing’s hands-on approach wholly focuses on the body’s fascia—better known as the protective layer of muscle and various connective tissues.

It is fascia that surrounds our muscles, bones and organs, that shapes muscles and gives structure to the body. Rolfing’s job is to structurally change the body by shortening or lengthening fascia. It does this through a series of 10 one-hour weekly sessions performed by a certified Rolfer or Rolfing practitioner.

A Rolfer’s education and certification may come from one of several schools. However, the Guild for Structural Integration and the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration are the most well known, having been around for several decades. Both are headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, where teaching facilities have been greatly influenced by the work of Dr. Ida P. Rolf [1896-1979], founder of this "holistic system of soft tissue manipulation and movement education that organizes the whole body in gravity."

According to Faraday Melchoir of the Guild for Structural Integration, Rolfing’s progressive series of sessions is what sets it apart from other healing modalities. "Each session builds upon the last and balances the body in segments," she explains. "Sessions one through three begin with a focus on the upper body and diaphragm, move on to the foot and lower leg and then to the lateral sides. During sessions four through six the Rolfing practitioner works on the inside of the leg, focuses on the stomach and the relationship between the muscles, rectus abdominis and psoas, and then moves on to the back of the body, head and neck, followed by the upper and lower areas of the pelvic girdle." The final session covers the whole body. Typical benefits include greater flexibility, better balance, increased breathing capacity and more energy.

Simplifying Melchoir’s explanation, Theresa Pearce, a Rolfer in Grand Rapids, Michigan notes how "Rolfing is a system designed to realign and educate a person so they feel more comfortable in their body."

Being the miracle that it is, in the daily course of events the human body will automatically accommodate and adjust to various misalignments by shortening and tightening its fascia. Resulting imbalances may manifest as stiffness, discomfort or a loss of energy experienced as a result of inefficient movement.

Upon the release and lengthening of affected fascia, the body is freed to return to its structurally optimal position and consequently requires less energy to move about. "Most people report a feeling of lightness, grace, increased flexibility and a new experience of ‘upright’ alignment after a series," says Pearce.

"I personally recommend my clients to integrate their 10 series for at least a year and try yoga, massage, tai chi, acupuncture, chiropractic and other modalities in order to create a healthy lifestyle," remarks Pearce. Thus she notes that additional work only might be required in the event of a later accident, lengthy illness or heightened emotional stress.

Once stereotyped as a painful process too intense for those frail of body or faint of heart with a low threshold for pain, today’s practice of Rolfing has moved well beyond its former painful image while still producing profound results. An educated touch acquired in part from intensive study of anatomy and physiology is the key.

As Pearce observes, "Intuition is always a part of the practice for me. I ‘feel’ my way through this process with the client. It involves the hands, but the energetics of what really happens is part of the whole mystery of how we heal anything."

For more information visit The Rolf Institute of Structural Integration at Rolf.org, 800-530-8875; or The Guild for Structural Integration at RolfGuild.org, 303-447-0122. Locally, contact Theresa Pierce at 616-451-0199 or visit BeAligned.com.