Annapolis Rolfer: what is rolfing good for?

Rolfing – Structural Integration

Why Rolfing®?

When something doesn’t work, you want to fix it. That applies to your own body, too. If you try the usual means and it doesn’t solve the problem, you probably start looking for a different method. Most people who try Rolfing SI do so at the suggestion of a friend who had a lot of success with Rolfing SI solving their nagging problem.

Generally, people experience Rolfing SI because of pain, back pain, neck pain, knee pain, etc. But Rolfers™ help with a range of issues—from acute to chronic—including soft tissue pain, postural issues, stress and even aesthetics.

A growing number of amateur and elite athletes are seeking Rolfing SI as a means to reach new levels of performance. Athletes spend thousands of dollars on equipment and training, so spending a thousand dollars or so on improving their primary piece of equipment—their body—is a good deal.

Some clients find a Rolfer to simply improve their health. These people realize that the best investment they can make is their health. What better way to do that than to overhaul the entire physical structure? These people want to stay young, and often find that once they completed their Rolfing SI they actually look and feel younger.

What is Rolfing SI?

Rolfing is a series of progressive sessions, usually an hour in length, that focus on eliminating any immediate symptoms while addressing the underlying causes. You lie on a low, wide table dressed in your underwear, bathing suit or workout clothes, and the Rolfer applies slow pressure on specific areas, waiting for the tissue to release. Once it releases, the Rolfer moves to another area.

This slow and precise sculpturing of the body’s soft tissue (muscles and fascia – a form of connective tissue) allows the body to relax on a deep level. Over the course of the typical ten sessions, the body will often straighten, become taller, loosen and generally feel much better.

Rolfers also educate their clients so they do not recreate their problems, and they learn how to enhance the changes of Rolfing SI. Many of today’s problems stem from habits as simple as not breathing properly, or fighting gravity with flawed postural patterns. Your Rolfer can help you unlearn past limiting behaviors, and learn behaviors that are more efficient.

Where Rolfing SI works the best

Soft tissue injuries and problems
Structural or postural issues
Stress from emotional, physical or environmental causes

Reasons to be experience Rolfing SI

Chronic pain
Chronic stress
Motor vehicle accidents
Sport injuries
Poor posture
Stress and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Chronic fatigue
Fibromyalgia
Work injuries and repetitive motion injuries
Headaches
Back pain
TMJ dysfunction
Emotional stress

Reported benefits of Rolfing SI

Alleviation of nagging pain
Increased flexibility and coordination
More energy
Increased athletic performance and stamina
Healthier appearance
Cellulite reduction and weight loss
Greater enjoyment of the body
Enhanced wellbeing
Improved relaxation and sleep
Enhanced circulation
Improved organ and digestive function
Increased joy from reduced stress

A brief history

Rolfing SI gets its name from Ida Rolf, Ph.D. She developed her work in the 1940s while helping her son, and then her friends; quickly she had a following. Today there are 1,500 Rolfers around the world who have seen over one million Rolfing SI clients.

All Rolfing SI training and certification is done through the international non-profit, the Rolf Institute. Their site has a page where you can find a Rolfer in your area.

For more information

Explore this site to learn more about Rolfing and what others say about their experience of Rolfing SI. Check out the blog to read about Rolfing SI and related topics. Ask us a question.

Note: Rolfing SI is not appropriate for many conditions such as cancer. Ask a Rolfer if Rolfing may be right for you.