Have you ever wondered what “Rolfing” is? You may have heard of the term in sports or exercise when someone has experienced chronic or severe pain. But what exactly is Rolfing?
Rolfing Structural Integration is a therapy that will help you get relief from chronic pain and is different from a regular deep tissue massage. Rolfing is considered a systematic and holistic treatment method that manipulates your muscles and fascia to restore your body’s structural balance in movement and gravity.
Rolfing is named after its founder Dr. Ida P. Rolf who recognized that your body’s tissue is the connecting element of your entire body. Your body’s tissue surrounds, supports, and penetrates all the parts of your body such as your muscles, bones, nerves, and organs. Rolfing uses this web-like complex system of connected tissues in your body to relieve discomfort and bring balance to your body.
Who is Rolfing for?
Rolfing Structural Integration is a registered service in more than 38 countries. Anyone can reap the benefits of Rolfing. People from everywhere have benefited from Rolfing including, dancers, athletes, children, and business professionals.
Since its development in the 1969s, Rolfing has gained popularity in the alternative health community. Rolfing is helpful for treating severe and chronic pain lasting longer than 12 weeks. It is a great solution if prescription drugs are not an option for you.
Rolfing feels like a deep tissue massage but treats your entire body muscles and fascia and not only areas where you feel pain. This is not only helpful if you feel chronic and severe pain but also if you want to repair your posture and structure of your body causing your imbalances and pain.
The Rolfing practitioner will systematically address places of strain, misalignment, and stiffness in your body as part of the larger structural pattern of your body and your body’s natural mechanisms will complete the process of correcting your body’s imbalances.
The Benefits of Rolfing?
Rolfing goes by the notion that if one of your body structures are out of place or not functioning properly then the other structures of your body need to compensate for it which hinders the movement and functioning of your entire body.
Rolfing is a technique used mainly to balance your body. If one part of your body is in pain or discomfort your body loses its upright position and becomes unbalanced. Rolfing helps to restore your balance and your body’s upright or natural vertical position. As soon as your body is vertical gravity is unable to pull your body down in a slanting position.
Rolfing can dramatically alter your posture. Rolfing gives your body back its natural upright or vertical form if it is unbalanced, that is, slanting towards either direction. It gives your body back its posture and natural movement by repositioning.
Rolfing alleviates discomfort, pain, and tension in your body so that your body functions more effectively when your body’s structure is balanced in gravity. The idea is to repair your body’s structure and posture so that your body will naturally correct the imbalances causing your pain.
Rolfing also helps restore your flexibility and may increase your energy levels. It helps your body conserve energy and refines your patterns of mobilization. It will leave you feeling more comfortable in your body and improve your performance of daily activities.
Rolfing not only eases pain and discomfort but can also ease the chronic stress stored in your muscle memory and your body’s nervous system. It also enhances neurological functioning.
Keep in mind that Rolfing is not a quick fix and that it will take some time for your body to recover. Although you will see results after your first Rolfing session, you should get a Rolfing treatment at least once a month if you are experiencing chronic symptoms.
What should you expect from Rolfing?
Your Rolfing experience should never be painful. Although Rolfing can be intense and uncomfortable it should not add to the pain or discomfort you are already in.
Rolfing will often reveal other areas of pain in your body and/or areas that are contributing to the pain that you are in. This information will be helpful for your overall treatment plan.
Your Rolfing treatment may reveal buried emotions since your muscle tissues store memory. This may seem strange to you, but it is helpful to your healing process.
It is best that you ensure that you are getting a skilled and certified Rolfing practitioner and someone that you can connect to because Rolfing is a personal process.
There are no side effects or risks to Rolfing so there is no harm in trying the treatment.
Final Thoughts On Rolfing
Rolfing Structural Integration is a great way to take care of your body if you are experiencing pain, discomfort, and tension in your body. However, you will need to make certain lifestyle changes to maintain the changes from Rolfing such as, footwear, yoga, and nutrition.
