Rolfing was developed by biochemist Dr. Ida Rolf in the thirties. It was her belief that gravity and manipulation of a person’s soft connective tissues (fascia) could permanently reform the body to proper alignment.
Rolfing is used to improve posture, reduce stress, and relieve chronic pain. Rolfing targets the fascia, which is a band or layer of connective tissues in the body that forms beneath the skin to attach, stabilize, wrap muscles and other internal organs.
It’s truly a holistic action of structural change that’s meant to not only improve physical wellness but also emotional wellness.
What Is Rolfing?
Rolfing is a technique of deep tissue manipulation aimed at the release and realignment of the body and the reduction of muscular and psychic tension.
The idea is to relieve patterns of physical misalignment through a series of sessions, each focusing on a different part of the body, using deep pressure and breathwork. Ultimately, the goal along with resetting alignment patterns in the body is to improve movement and posture, reduce stress and create an overall sense of wellbeing.
Who Can Benefit From Rolfing
- Chronic pain sufferers. More than 30 percent of adults in the U.S. are living with chronic or severe pain. For people who struggle with chronic pain, Rolfing can be an effective non-medical, drug-free method to address the pain as Rolfing releases painful compression associated with backaches, tension headaches, and neck pain.
- Athletes, dancers, performers. Rolfing is used by many professional athletes to break up scar tissue, rehabilitate injuries, and increase the range of motion to improve performance and avoid future injuries. Many dancers and musicians also use Rolfing to increase comfort in their bodies while performing, as well as avoid repetitive stress injuries.
- The elderly or aging. Muscles and joints get rigid with age. This can create the physical appearance of aging, such as forward head posture, curvature in the upper back, loss of movement and extension in some joints.
- Temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ). TMJ is inflammation and tightness of the joint that connects the jaw to the skull. Most people recognize it as jaw clicking, popping, locking, and pain. Rolfing helps those that suffer from this syndrome by freeing that joint between the jaw and skull from its restricted and painful state.
- Repetitive movements, athletic exertion, poor posture, injuries, and surgical recovery. Many of these factors can cause your fascia can become tight, short, and dense, which pulls your musculoskeletal system out of alignment and causes discomfort, fatigue, and pain.
The Takeaway: What is Rolfing And What Can It Treat?
At SHIN Wellness in Miami Florida, we offer Rolfing® which is a system of soft tissue manipulation and movement education that organizes the whole body in gravity. Rolfing bodywork affects the body’s posture and structure by manipulating the myofascial system (connective tissue). Regularly considered a deep-tissue approach, Rolfing bodywork actually works with all the layers of the body to ease strain patterns in the entire system.
Contact us for more information and to schedule an appointment with one of our other trusted practitioners at SHIN Wellness. We offer many other holistic treatments such as Decompression Therapy, Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Neurofeedback, Psychology, Reiki, Nutrition, Massage, and Corrective Exercise. If you need some help figuring out what service is right for you, try our personalized consultation. Our Wellness Center and Chiropractor office in Miami Florida specializes in restoring your health!
