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The Rolf Method - An In-Depth Look
Most of us assume that high amounts of stress and the accompanying physical pain that can result from it are a normal part of everyday life. We attempt to deal with it by working out, taking pain killers and trying massage, only to find that the pain and stress return continually in precisely the same spots.
Normally, the places where we experience pain and stress are only part of an entire strain pattern which can run throughout the body, in the same way a snag runs through a sweater. Unless the entire pattern is addressed and the body is brought into balance, the problem isn't really resolved and inevitably returns.
The Rolf Method of Structural Integration, also referred to as "Rolfing," is named after its founder, Dr. Ida P. Rolf. A key principle: when a body is structurally out of alignment, the downward force of gravity on a body is responsible for much of the pain and misery many of us experience and seem unable to rectify.
An Example
A typical example of this kind of structural problem would be the person whose pelvis tips forward causing the abdominal section to protrude. This problem is rarely limited to the pelvis alone but often begins in the feet with the weight being shifted too far to the inside or outside. Strain is then transmitted through the legs and into the pelvis which results in its forward tilt. Above you'll often see a collapsing chest with rounding shoulders and a head that is thrust forward.
The owner of this body would probably complain of frequent neck, shoulder and lower back pain. Furthermore, these same structural problems might also be responsible for chronic fatigue and susceptibility to injury.
From the structural integration perspective, unless the entire problem is addressed from head to toe and the body returned to balance, the pain and distress will continue necessitating ongoing treatment.
The 10 Series
In a systematic 10-session series, the Rolfing process works with these problems. Each session lasts approximately 60-90 minutes and builds on the work of the previous session. Within this format, the Rolfing Practitioner is able to follow and release the strain patterns throughout the entire body.These strain patterns occur in a type of connective tissue known as fascia. This tissue surrounds, separates and connects all components of the body and gives it its unique shape and form. Fascia responds to trauma, stress and injury by shortening, thickening and hardening to support the traumatized areas, thereby pulling the body out of appropriate alignment.
Each bump, bang, fall, accident and injury we've ever experienced has molded and shaped us by means of the fascia and its plasticity. It doesn't matter whether the stress is of an emotional or physical nature, the body responds. The end result is a body which becomes a living history of all our life experiences.
Rolfing utilizes the plasticity of this fascial tissue to literally sculpt the body into alignment, allowing it to move into a position of balance and ease. The resulting new alignment is of a more permanent nature because the entire body and the relationships within it have been shifted. The energy once exerted to remain upright and to deal with pain and stress is now freed to be used in more creative ways.
Sometimes, only when the tension is released through Rolfing does a person recognize just how much pain and stress has been present in their lives. It can be the freedom from the difficulty that makes us more aware.
Research on the Benefits
Research conducted at UCLA showed that Structural Integration created more efficient use of the muscles, allowing the body to conserve energy and enhancing more refined patterns of movement. Another study at the University of Maryland demonstrated that Structural Integration significantly reduced chronic stress. Also in this particular study Structural Integration was shown to have reduced the excessive spinal curvature known as lordosis and to improve neurological functioning.The benefits of the Rolf Method of Structural Integration are many, including alleviation of chronic pain, a fine-tuned edge in athletic performance, greatly reduced chronic stress, and grace and ease of movement.
Note: To some, the word "Rolfing" brings to mind a painful process. Please understand that a skilled, mindful and sensitive practitioner can achieve all the benefits with minimal discomfort which allows for a stress-free experience.
