Rolfing Structural Integration Could be the Key to Healing Your Chronic Pain

by Jul 26, 2021

Ever had chronic pain that just will not go away no matter what you try?

“When the body gets working appropriately, the force of gravity can flow through, then spontaneously, the body heals itself”. This extraordinarily simple theory is at the core of Dr. Ida Rolf’s time-proven Structural Integration technique and has inspired healing strategies with remarkable results worldwide for years.

Rolfing Structural Integration is a type of bodywork that reorganizes fascia, a collective network of tissues that surround muscles, bones, organs, and nerves and gives form to our entire structure. It is because of fascia’s continuity and web-like structure that we can stand upright, move around, and interact with the world.

Our tissues and fascia are meant to slide fluidly over each other, allowing us to move with ease and maximum efficiency. With repetitive use, trauma or injury, however, these tissues can become stuck, causing compensation patterns that no amount of stretching or strengthening, medicine or spot treatment can fix.

The job of a certified, skilled Rolfer is to work with the whole body, including the nervous system, muscles, bones, and organs mainly by interacting with the fascia that links all these structures.

A single session can alleviate or eliminate a chronic tension pattern. Rolfing’s Ten-Series approach, for which it is mainly known however, can yield profound results because of its holistic structure. In the Ten-Series approach, each session builds on the prior one. It is a methodical system that works from the outside tissues, commonly called the “sleeve”, to the inside, or “core”, and ending with integration of the entire structure.

Over the course of the ten sessions, Rolfing addresses the entire body, paying special attention to areas where the tissues might be particularly restricted or hyper-mobile, including often neglected areas such as the external pelvic floor or the cranium. The client is also asked to take an active role in the process. With the assistance and guidance of a skilled practitioner, many people often report a newfound sense of body awareness that they can carry into their everyday life to support prevention as well as healthy and integrated movement.

Danielle Drucker

Danielle Drucker

Author, Certified Rolfer, Personal Trainer

Danielle is a Rolf Structural Integration Practitioner and an A.C.E. certified Personal Trainer. Her personal experience with chronic illness and injury, led to her fascination with the mind-body connection. She is passionate about psychology and the nervous system, the impact of trauma, fitness, movement and overall health and wellness. Danielle has an extensive knowledge of anatomy and physiology, years of observing people’s patterns in movement, and tools she’s discovered throughout her own personal journey, that she uses in treating her patients.

Photo Credit

Photo Credit: Canva by Science Photo Library

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