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| {{Alternative medicine sidebar |fringe}} | | {{Short description|A form of alternative therapy involving structural integration}} |
| '''Rolfing''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|r|ɔː|l|f|ɪ|ŋ|,_|ˈ|r|ɒ|l|-}})<ref>[http://www.dictionary.com/browse/rolfing "Rolfing"]. ''[[Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary]]''.</ref> is a form of [[alternative medicine]] originally developed by [[Ida Rolf]] (1896–1979) as '''Structural Integration'''.<ref name=recipe1/><ref name=Sherman>{{cite journal |vauthors=Sherman KJ, Dixon MW, Thompson D, Cherkin DC |title=Development of a taxonomy to describe massage treatments for musculoskeletal pain |journal=BMC Complement Altern Med |volume=6 |issue= |pages=24 |year=2006 |pmid=16796753 |pmc=1544351 |doi=10.1186/1472-6882-6-24 |type=Review |quote=Some massage styles with different names may be essentially the same (e.g., Structural Integration and Rolfing®)}}</ref> It is typically delivered as a series of ten hands-on physical manipulation sessions sometimes called "the recipe". It is based on Rolf's ideas about how the human body's "[[Energy (esotericism)|energy field]]" can benefit when aligned with the Earth's [[gravitational field]].<ref name=gospel>{{cite book|author=Ida P. Rolf, Ph.D.|title=Rolfing and Physical Reality|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sndnAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA31|date=1 November 1990|orig-year=1978|publisher=Inner Traditions / Bear & Co|isbn=978-1-62055-338-1|page=31|quote="This is the gospel of Rolfing: When the body gets working appropriately, the force of gravity can flow through. Then, spontaneously, the body heals itself."}}</ref><ref name=sd/> Practitioners combine superficial and deep [[manual therapy]] with movement prompts.<ref name="Deutsch" /> The process is sometimes painful.<ref name=acs/> It is not known whether Rolfing is safe.<ref name=aus17/><ref name=barden/>
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| The principles of Rolfing contradict established medical knowledge,<ref name=clow/> and there is no good evidence Rolfing is effective for the treatment of any health condition.<ref name=aus17/> It is recognized as a [[pseudoscience]]<ref name= "pop">{{citation |author=Cordón, LA |work=Popular Psychology: An Encyclopedia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Uy1gmwcAgg4C&pg=PA218 |date=January 2005 |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-313-32457-4 |pages=217–218 |title=Rolfing }}: "The idea of vital energy... does not correspond to known facts of how the human body operates. Similarly, there is absolutely no support in psychological literature for the idea of traumatic experiences being repressed in the form of muscle memory, and so the basic ideas of Rolfing certainly fall into the category of pseudoscience."</ref> and has been characterized as [[quackery]].<ref name="agin"/><ref name="Shapiro 2010"/>
| | '''Rolfing''', also known as '''Rolfing Structural Integration''', is a form of [[alternative therapy]] originally developed by [[Ida Rolf]] in the 1940s. It is a type of [[bodywork]] that aims to improve the body's alignment and functioning by manipulating the [[connective tissue]], or [[fascia]]. Practitioners of Rolfing believe that by addressing imbalances in the body's structure, they can alleviate pain, improve posture, and enhance overall well-being. |
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| == Conceptual basis == | | ==History== |
| [[Ida Rolf]] described the body as organized around an axis perpendicular to the earth, parallel to the pull of gravity, and she believed the function of the body was optimal when it was organized in that way. She saw the body as continuously in a struggle with gravity; in her view, gravity tends to shorten [[fascia]], leading to disorder of the body's arrangement around its axis and creating imbalance, inefficiency in movement, and pain.<ref name="Houglum">{{Cite book|title=Therapeutic Exercise for Musculoskeletal Injuries|last=Houglum|first=Peggy|publisher=Human Kinetics|year=2016|isbn=9780736075954|edition=4th|location=|pages=432–4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WVcvDAAAQBAJ|quote=Dr. Rolf based her techniques on the realization that fascia surrounded all tissue and body structures, so it also influenced those tissues and structures when it is modified. She observed that the body centers on a vertical line of pull created by gravity. It was her theory that the body is most efficient and healthy when it can function in an aligned and balanced arrangement. With gravity's continuing pull, stresses and injuries occur to pull the body out of its normal alignment; imbalance occurs and causes the body to become painful, malaligned, and inefficient. Rolf's philosophy and techniques focus on improving the body's posture so all functions including breathing, flexibility, strength, and coordination are optimally efficient.}}</ref> Rolfers aim to lengthen the fascia in order to restore the body's arrangement around its axis and facilitate improved movement.<ref name="Houglum"/> Rolf also discussed this in terms of "[[Energy (esotericism)|energy]]" and said: | | Rolfing was developed by [[Ida Rolf]], a [[biochemist]] and [[physiologist]], who began exploring the relationship between [[structure]] and [[function]] in the human body. She believed that the body's structure could be realigned through manual manipulation of the connective tissues. In the 1940s, Rolf began teaching her method, which she initially called "Structural Integration." The practice gained popularity in the 1970s and became known as "Rolfing" in honor of its founder. |
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| <blockquote>Rolfers make a life study of relating bodies and their fields to the earth and its gravity field, and we so organize the body that the gravity field can reinforce the body's energy field. This is our primary concept.<ref name=rolf1976>{{cite book|last=Rolf|first=Ida P.|title=Rolfing and Physical Reality|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sndnAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA86|year=1990|orig-year=1978|publisher=Healing Arts Press|isbn=978-1-62055-338-1|page=86}}</ref><ref name=sd/></blockquote>
| | ==Principles== |
| | Rolfing is based on the principle that the body's structure affects its function. Practitioners aim to align the body with the [[gravitational field]] of the Earth, which they believe can lead to improved [[posture]], reduced [[pain]], and enhanced [[movement]]. The therapy involves a series of sessions, typically ten, where the practitioner uses their hands, fingers, and elbows to apply pressure to the body's fascia, releasing tension and encouraging realignment. |
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| The manipulation is sometimes referred to as a type of [[bodywork (alternative medicine)|bodywork]], or as a type of [[massage]].<ref name="Sherman"/><ref name= "Levine">{{cite book |last= Levine |first= Andrew |year= 1998 |title= The Bodywork and Massage Sourcebook |publisher= [[Lowell House]] |pages= 209–234 |isbn= 9780737300987}}</ref><ref name= "Cassar">{{cite book |last= Cassar |first= Mario-Paul |year= 2004 |title= Handbook of Clinical Massage: A Complete Guide for Students and Practitioners |edition= 2nd |publisher= [[Churchill Livingstone]] |pages= 48–49 |isbn= 9780443073496 }}</ref><ref name="Gale Mental">{{cite book|url=http://librarum.org/book/22665/154|title=The Gale Encyclopedia Of Mental Disorders|last=|first=|publisher=[[Gale (publisher)|Gale]]|year=2003|isbn=9780787657697|editor1-last=Thackery|editor1-first=Ellyn|location=|page=[http://librarum.org/book/22665/154 153–7]|editor2-last=Harris|editor2-first=Madeline|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808050455/http://librarum.org/book/22665/154|archive-date=8 August 2014}}</ref> Some osteopaths were influenced by Rolf,<ref name=riggs>{{cite book |editor= Stillerman E |date= 2016 |edition= 2nd |title= Modalities for Massage and Bodywork |publisher=Elsevier |pages= 152 |isbn= 978-0323239318|author=Riggs A |chapter=Myofascial Release|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pi9yBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA152}}</ref> and some of her students became teachers of massage, including one of the founders of [[myofascial release]].<ref name= "Knaster">{{cite book |last= Knaster |first= Mirka |year= 1996 |title= Discovering the Body's Wisdom: A Comprehensive Guide to More Than Fifty Mind-Body Practices |publisher= [[Bantam Books|Bantam]] |pages= 195–208 |isbn= 9780307575500}}</ref>{{rp|188,208}}
| | ==The Ten-Series== |
| | The standard Rolfing treatment is known as the "Ten-Series," which consists of ten sessions, each with a specific focus: |
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| Rolf claimed to have found an association between emotions and the soft tissue, writing "although rolfing is not primarily a psychotherapeutic approach to the problems of humans", it does constitute an "approach to the personality through the myofascial collagen components of the physical body".<ref name=ipr>Ida Rolf ''quoted in'' {{cite book |editor=Rosemary Feitis |title=Rolfing and Physical Reality |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-7mtgps33gEC&pg=PA27 |year=1990 |publisher=Inner Traditions / Bear & Co |isbn=978-0-89281-380-3 |pages=26–27 |chapter=Introduction}}</ref> She claimed Rolfing could balance the mental and emotional aspects of subjects, and that "the amazing psychological changes that appeared in Rolfed individuals were completely unexpected".<ref name=ipr/> Rolfers suggest their manipulations can cause the release of painful repressed memories.<ref name="contro" /> Rolfers also hold that by manipulating the body they can bring about changes in personality; for example, teaching somebody to walk with confidence will make them a more confident person.<ref name=elpsy>{{cite book |author=Roeckelein JE |title=Elsevier's Dictionary of Psychological Theories |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1Yn6NZgxvssC&pg=PA530 |year=2006 |publisher=Elsevier |isbn=978-0-08-046064-2 |page=530 |chapter=Rolfing}}</ref> The connection between physical structure and psychology has not been proven by scientific studies.<ref name=sd>{{cite book |title= The Skeptic's Dictionary |chapter= Rolfing |chapter-url= http://www.skepdic.com/rolfing |date= 22 January 2014 |last= Carroll |first= Robert Todd |authorlink= Robert Todd Carroll |edition= Online |accessdate= 2014-03-03 |isbn= 9780471272427}}</ref>
| | # '''Session 1:''' Focuses on enhancing the quality of breathing by working on the chest, ribs, and diaphragm. |
| | # '''Session 2:''' Aims to provide support to the feet and legs, improving balance and grounding. |
| | # '''Session 3:''' Works on the sides of the body to increase the range of motion and balance. |
| | # '''Session 4:''' Addresses the inner leg and pelvic floor to enhance support and alignment. |
| | # '''Session 5:''' Focuses on the core, including the abdomen and lower back, to improve stability. |
| | # '''Session 6:''' Works on the back, hips, and legs to integrate the lower body. |
| | # '''Session 7:''' Concentrates on the head, neck, and shoulders to improve alignment and function. |
| | # '''Session 8:''' Integrates the upper and lower body, focusing on the pelvis and legs. |
| | # '''Session 9:''' Further integrates the body, focusing on the back and shoulders. |
| | # '''Session 10:''' Aims to balance the entire body, ensuring all parts work together harmoniously. |
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| == Technique == | | ==Benefits and Criticism== |
| Rolfers posit that they manipulate the body's fascial layers.<ref name=broc>{{cite web |url=https://www.rolf.org/rolfing.php |title=What is Rolfing® Structural Integration? |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=Rolf Institute of Structural Integration |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160328160654/http://www.rolf.org/rolfingreg.php |archivedate=2016-03-28 |dead-url=no |access-date=2016-07-13|quote="Named after its founder, Dr. Ida P. Rolf, Rolfing Structural Integration is a form of bodywork that reorganizes the connective tissues, called fascia, that permeate the entire body."}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |editor1-last= Daniels |editor1-first= Rick |editor2-last= Nicoll |editor2-first= Leslie |year= 2011 |chapter= Ch. 14: Complementary and Alternative Therapies |title= Contemporary Medical-Surgical Nursing |volume= 1 |edition= 2nd |publisher= Cengage Learning |page= [https://books.google.com/books?id=-tmHtnxutW4C&pg=PA306 306] |isbn= 978-1439058664 |ref= {{SfnRef|Daniels & Nicoll|2011}}}}</ref> Rolfing also uses a combination of active and passive movement retraining.<ref name=Schultz>{{cite book |last1= Schultz |first1= Richard Louis |last2= Feitis |first2= Rosemary |year= 1996 |title= The Endless Web: Fascial Anatomy and Physical Reality |publisher= [[North Atlantic Books]] |page= [https://books.google.com/books?id=BIKubGskvtsC&pg=PA33 33] |isbn= 978-1556432286}}</ref>
| | Proponents of Rolfing claim that it can lead to numerous benefits, including improved [[posture]], increased [[flexibility]], reduced [[chronic pain]], and enhanced [[athletic performance]]. However, Rolfing is considered a form of [[alternative medicine]], and its efficacy is debated within the [[scientific community]]. Critics argue that there is limited scientific evidence supporting its claims, and some individuals may experience discomfort during sessions. |
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| Rolfing is typically performed in a progression of 10 sessions, sometimes called "the recipe".<ref name=recipe1>{{cite journal |author=Myers TW |title=Structural integration—developments in Ida Rolf's 'Recipe'—I |journal=Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies |volume=8 |issue=2 |year=2004 |pages=131–142 |issn=1360-8592 |doi=10.1016/S1360-8592(03)00088-3}}</ref> The first three sessions of the protocol focus on superficial tissues, the next four focus on deeper tissues and specifically the pelvis, and the final sessions address the whole body.<ref name=Deutsch>{{cite book |last= Deutsch |first= Judith E. |chapter= The Ida Rolf Method of Structural Integration |editor-first= Judith E. |editor-last= Deutsch |year= 2008 |title= Complementary Therapies for Physical Therapy: A Clinical Decision-Making Approach |publisher= [[Saunders (imprint)|Saunders]] |pages= 266–7 |isbn= 978-0721601113 |ref= {{SfnRef|Deutsch|2008}}}}</ref><ref name="Houglum" /><ref name="Levine" />
| | ==Training and Certification== |
| | Practitioners of Rolfing are trained and certified by the [[Rolf Institute of Structural Integration]], which offers a comprehensive training program. The program includes coursework in anatomy, physiology, and hands-on practice. Certified Rolfers must adhere to the institute's standards and ethics. |
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| A session typically lasts between 60 and 90 minutes. The recipient wears undergarments.<ref name="contro">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-KGNwokGP20C&pg=PA202|title=Controversies in the Practice of Medicine|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|year=2001|isbn=978-0-313-31131-4|location=|page=202|quote=Practitioners suggest pent-up mental anguish tied to initial traumatic event or subsequent chronic pain is released as the fascias become more pliable.|via=|vauthors=Goldstein MC, Goldstein MA}}</ref> Positions for the work include lying on a table, sitting, and standing.<ref name="riggs" />{{rp|370}}
| | ==Related pages== |
| | * [[Massage therapy]] |
| | * [[Fascia]] |
| | * [[Alternative medicine]] |
| | * [[Ida Rolf]] |
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| Rolfing treatments are sometimes painful.<ref name=acs/> For adults, there may be moments of intense sensation during a treatment or soreness afterward.<ref name=Knaster/> However, the technique can be done gently enough for children and the elderly.<ref name=Claire/> Rolf believed fascia tightens as a protective mechanism, and therefore thought an aggressive approach could be counter-productive.<ref name= Salvo>{{cite book |last= Salvo |first= Susan G. |year= 2012 |title= Massage Therapy: Principles and Practice |edition= 4th |publisher= Elsevier Saunders |page= 423 |isbn= 978-1437719772 }}</ref>
| | [[Category:Alternative medicine]] |
| | | [[Category:Bodywork]] |
| == Effectiveness and reception ==
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| In 2015 the [[Department of Health (Australia)|Australian Government's Department of Health]] published a review of 17 alternative therapies, including Rolfing, which concluded no clear evidence of effectiveness was found.<ref name=aus17>{{cite web |url=http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/0E9129B3574FCA53CA257BF0001ACD11/$File/Natural%20Therapies%20Overview%20Report%20Final%20with%20copyright%2011%20March.pdf |publisher=Australian Government – Department of Health |author=Baggoley C |title=Review of the Australian Government Rebate on Natural Therapies for Private Health Insurance |year=2015 |pages=16, 19, 125–8 |lay-url=https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/australian-review-finds-no-benefit-to-17-natural-therapies |lay-source=Gavura, S. Australian review finds no benefit to 17 natural therapies. Science-Based Medicine. |lay-date=19 November 2015}}</ref> Accordingly, in 2017, the Australian government named Rolfing as a practice that would not qualify for insurance subsidy, saying this step would "ensure taxpayer funds are expended appropriately and not directed to therapies lacking evidence".<ref name=nosubsidy>{{cite journal |title=Homeopathy, naturopathy struck off private insurance list |author=Paola S |year=17 October 2017 |journal=Australian Journal of Pharmacy |url=https://ajp.com.au/news/homeopathy-naturopathy-struck-off-private-insurance-list/}}</ref>
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| The [[American Cancer Society]] says the deep soft tissue manipulations such as those used in Rolfing are a concern if practiced on people with cancer near tumor sites.<ref name=acs>{{cite book |publisher=[[American Cancer Society]] |title=American Cancer Society Complete Guide to Complementary and Alternative Cancer Therapies |edition=2nd |year=2009 |isbn=9780944235713 |editors=Russell J, Rovere A |page=170 |chapter=Bodywork }}</ref>
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| Proponents of Rolfing claim it can be used to alleviate pain.<ref name="Thompson2015">{{cite book|author=Rosemary Thompson|title=Counseling Techniques: Improving Relationships with Others, Ourselves, Our Families, and Our Environment|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l8JzCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA67|date=27 August 2015|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-61441-7|pages=67–}}</ref> However, Rolfing's focus on appropriate "alignment" of structures of the body does not reflect modern science about pain.<ref name="Ernst">{{cite book|last1=Ernst|first1=Edzard|last2=Pittler|first2=Max|last3=Wider|first3=Barbara|title=Complementary Therapies for Pain Management: An Evidence-Based Approach|date=2007|publisher=Elsevier|location=Moseby|isbn=978-0-7234-3400-9|page=150|url=https://books.google.com/?id=M9oES85plfgC&dq=complementary+therapies+for+pain+management|accessdate=18 January 2018}}</ref><ref name="Moseley2013">{{cite journal|last1=Moseley|first1=G. Lorimer|title=Reconceptualising pain according to modern pain science|journal=Physical Therapy Reviews|volume=12|issue=3|year=2013|pages=169–178|issn=1083-3196|doi=10.1179/108331907X223010}}</ref>
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| In 2010 ''The New York Times'' reported that Rolfing was enjoying a "resurgence" following an endorsement from [[Mehmet Oz]] on ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]''.<ref name=nyt>{{cite news |newspaper=New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/07/fashion/07rolfing.html |title=Rolfing, Excruciatingly Helpful |date=6 October 2010 |author=Considine A}}</ref>
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| Because of its dependence on [[vitalistic]] concepts and its unevidenced propositions about the connection between physical manipulation and psychology, Rolfing is classified as a [[pseudoscience]].<ref name=pop/> Medical historian Barbara Clow writes that, in common with many other types of alternative medicine, Rolfing takes a view of illness and of therapy which conflicts with mainstream medicine.<ref name=clow>{{cite book |title=Negotiating Disease: Power and Cancer Care, 1900-1950 |year=2001 |publisher=McGill-Queen's University Press |page=63 |author=Clow B|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pFyee0XcIfoC&pg=PA63 |quote=Before we explore medical reactions to therapeutic innovations in this era, we must stop to consider the meaning of 'alternative medicine' in this context. Often scholars use the term to denote systems of healing that are philosophically as well as therapeutically distinct from regular medicine: homeopathy, reflexology, rolfing, macrobiotics, and spiritual healing, to name a few, embody interpretations of health, illness, and healing that are not only different from, but also at odds with conventional medical opinion.|isbn=9780773522107 }}</ref> Psychologist and attorney [[Christopher Barden]] has numbered Rolfing among "dangerous and controversial" methods that pose a risk to the public.<ref name=barden>{{cite book|editors=Lorandos D, Bernet W, Sauber SR|title=Parental Alienation: The Handbook for Mental Health and Legal Professionals |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mNfCCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA279|year=2013|publisher=Charles C Thomas |isbn=978-0-398-08750-0|page=279|chapter=Chapter 9: Protecting the Integrity of the Family Law System: Multidisciplinary Processes and Family Law Reform |author=Barden RC |authorlink=Christopher Barden}}</ref> Biologist Dan Agin has identified Rolfing as a popular kind of "quack medicine" in the "raucous bazaar" of the [[United States]]'s alternative medicine scene,<ref name=agin>{{cite book|author=Dan Agin|title=Junk Science: How Politicians, Corporations, and Other Hucksters Betray Us|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I4VzaPjTnxUC&pg=PA114|date=27 November 2007|publisher=St. Martin's Press|isbn=978-1-4668-3853-6|page=114}}</ref> Health journalist [[Rose Shapiro]] lists Rolfing among the many popular "quack treatments" that rally today under the banner of [[integrative medicine]],<ref name="Shapiro 2010">{{cite book|author=[[Rose Shapiro]]|title=Suckers: How Alternative Medicine Makes Fools of Us All|date=30 September 2010|publisher=Random House|isbn=978-1-4090-5916-5|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=Ib_IbOu_d9gC&pg=PA2 2]|title-link=Suckers (book)}}</ref> and skeptic [[Robert Todd Carroll]] has said the vague health claims made by Rolfers are characteristic of those made by "quacks".<ref name=sd/>
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| == History ==
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| [[Ida Rolf]] began working on clients in New York City in the 1940s with the premise that the human structure could be organized "in relation to gravity". She developed structural integration with one of her sons and by the 1950s she was teaching her work across the United States.<ref name=Salvo/> In the mid-1960s she began teaching at [[Esalen Institute]], where she gathered a loyal following of students and practitioners.<ref name="stillerman2014">{{cite book|last=Riggs|first=Art|editor=Elaine Stillerman|title=Modalities for Massage and Bodywork|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pi9yBgAAQBAJ|edition=2nd|date=18 December 2014|publisher=[[Mosby (publisher)|Mosby]]; |isbn=978-0-323-26079-4|page=153|chapter=9}}</ref> Esalen was the epicenter of the [[Human Potential Movement]], allowing Rolf to exchange ideas with many of their leaders, including [[Fritz Perls]].<ref name=Claire /><ref>{{cite book|last1=Perls|first1=Frederick|title=In and Out of the Garbage Pail|date=1969|publisher=Real People Press|url=https://books.google.com/?id=Ux4pAQAAMAAJ&q=Esalen}}</ref> Rolf incorporated a number of ideas from other areas including [[osteopathic manipulative treatment|osteopathic manipulation]], [[cranial osteopathy]], [[hatha yoga]], and the [[general semantics]] of [[Alfred Korzybski]].<ref name=Jacobson>{{cite journal |vauthors=Jacobson E |title=Structural integration: origins and development |journal=J Altern Complement Med |volume=17 |issue=9 |pages=775–80 |year=2011 |pmid=21875349 |pmc=3162380 |doi=10.1089/acm.2011.0001 |type=Historical article}}</ref> In 1971 she founded the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://kepler.sos.ca.gov |title= Business Search (search for 'Rolf Institute') |publisher= Secretary of State, CA |deadurl= yes |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20150315010639/http://kepler.sos.ca.gov/ |archivedate= 2015-03-15 |df= }}</ref> The school has been based in Boulder, Colorado, since 1972, and as of 2010 included five institutes worldwide.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Therapeutic Exercise for Musculoskeletal Injuries|last=Houglum|first=Peggy|publisher=Human Kinetics|year=2010|isbn=9780736075954|edition=3rd|location=|pages=174–175|quote=She eventually opened a school in Boulder, Colorado, The Rolf Institute; there are now five institutes around the world teaching what is now known as Rolfing.|via=}}</ref> | |
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| Since Rolf's death, the field of Structural Integration has fragmented into various schools as a result of legal disputes among her followers.<ref name=recipe1/><ref name=Jacobson/> Of these schools, the Rolf Institute is the only one with the use of the trademarked terms "Rolfing" and "Certified Rolfer".<ref name=recipe1/> Other schools of Structural Integration certify "Practitioners of the Rolf Method of Structural Integration" including the Guild for Structural Integration,<ref name= "Claire">{{cite book |last= Claire |first= Thomas |year= 1995 |title= Bodywork: What Type of Massage to Get and How to Make the Most of It |publisher= [[William Morrow and Co.]] |pages= 40–56 |isbn= 9781591202325}}</ref> Hellerwork Structural Integration,<ref name=Levine /><ref name=Knaster /><ref name= "Claire"/> Aston Patterning,<ref name=Knaster /><ref name= "Claire"/> SOMA,<ref name=Knaster /> KMI,<ref name=recipe1/> and a dozen other Structural Integration schools.<ref name=recipe1/> A professional membership organization exists called the International Association of Structural Integration, which has certified practitioners by exam since 2007.<ref name=Jacobson/>
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| == See also ==
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| * [[Pierre Bernard (yogi)]] – an influence on Rolf<ref name=Jacobson/>
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| == References ==
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| {{reflist}}
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| == Further reading ==
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| * {{cite journal |doi= 10.1016/j.pmr.2004.03.008 |title= Rolfing |year= 2004 |last1= Jones |first1= Tracey A. |journal= Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America |volume= 15 |issue= 4 |pages= 799–809, vi |pmid= 15458753}}
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| * {{cite book |author=Williams WF |title=Encyclopedia of Pseudoscience: From Alien Abductions to Zone Therapy |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vH1EAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT331 |year=2013 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-135-95522-9 |page=331 |chapter=Rolfing}}
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| ==External links==
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| * [http://www.rolf.org/ Rolf Institute website]
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| {{Alternative medicine}}
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| [[Category:Alternative medical treatments]]
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| [[Category:Manual therapy]]
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| [[Category:Massage therapy]]
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| [[Category:Pseudoscience]]
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| [[Category:Somatics]]
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| <gallery>
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| File:Rolfing.jpg|Rolfing
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| </gallery>
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Rolfing, also known as Rolfing Structural Integration, is a form of alternative therapy originally developed by Ida Rolf in the 1940s. It is a type of bodywork that aims to improve the body's alignment and functioning by manipulating the connective tissue, or fascia. Practitioners of Rolfing believe that by addressing imbalances in the body's structure, they can alleviate pain, improve posture, and enhance overall well-being.
History[edit]
Rolfing was developed by Ida Rolf, a biochemist and physiologist, who began exploring the relationship between structure and function in the human body. She believed that the body's structure could be realigned through manual manipulation of the connective tissues. In the 1940s, Rolf began teaching her method, which she initially called "Structural Integration." The practice gained popularity in the 1970s and became known as "Rolfing" in honor of its founder.
Principles[edit]
Rolfing is based on the principle that the body's structure affects its function. Practitioners aim to align the body with the gravitational field of the Earth, which they believe can lead to improved posture, reduced pain, and enhanced movement. The therapy involves a series of sessions, typically ten, where the practitioner uses their hands, fingers, and elbows to apply pressure to the body's fascia, releasing tension and encouraging realignment.
The Ten-Series[edit]
The standard Rolfing treatment is known as the "Ten-Series," which consists of ten sessions, each with a specific focus:
- Session 1: Focuses on enhancing the quality of breathing by working on the chest, ribs, and diaphragm.
- Session 2: Aims to provide support to the feet and legs, improving balance and grounding.
- Session 3: Works on the sides of the body to increase the range of motion and balance.
- Session 4: Addresses the inner leg and pelvic floor to enhance support and alignment.
- Session 5: Focuses on the core, including the abdomen and lower back, to improve stability.
- Session 6: Works on the back, hips, and legs to integrate the lower body.
- Session 7: Concentrates on the head, neck, and shoulders to improve alignment and function.
- Session 8: Integrates the upper and lower body, focusing on the pelvis and legs.
- Session 9: Further integrates the body, focusing on the back and shoulders.
- Session 10: Aims to balance the entire body, ensuring all parts work together harmoniously.
Benefits and Criticism[edit]
Proponents of Rolfing claim that it can lead to numerous benefits, including improved posture, increased flexibility, reduced chronic pain, and enhanced athletic performance. However, Rolfing is considered a form of alternative medicine, and its efficacy is debated within the scientific community. Critics argue that there is limited scientific evidence supporting its claims, and some individuals may experience discomfort during sessions.
Training and Certification[edit]
Practitioners of Rolfing are trained and certified by the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration, which offers a comprehensive training program. The program includes coursework in anatomy, physiology, and hands-on practice. Certified Rolfers must adhere to the institute's standards and ethics.
Related pages[edit]
