In most any given moment, the state of my mind is ephemeral. The state of my body is fundamental. Health is experiential.
Invest in your well-being today and embark on a journey towards optimal health!
Experience Rolfing®
Where can I find a local Rolfer®
Experience health and wellness from a Certified Rolfing Structural Integration expert near you.
Who benefits from Rolfing®?
Rolfing helps pain relief, improves athletic performance & restores posture.
How can Rolfing® improve health?
Somatics is a holistic approach to healing using mind and body for sensorimotor education.
Ida's Apple and the Gravity Game
The image will be created showing Ida herself and an interactive quiz on gravity will go here. To be developed...
Dr. Ida Rolf, Ph.D.
Rolfing is named after its creator, Dr. Ida P. Rolf, who originally referred to the work as Structural Integration.
Dr. Rolf received her Ph.D. in biochemistry from Columbia University in 1920 and furthered her knowledge of the body through her scientific work in organic chemistry at the Rockefeller Institute. In a lifelong search for a solution to family health problems, Ida examined many systems that affected body structure including yoga, osteopathy and chiropractic. Eventually combining her knowledge of biochemistry with these systems, Ida developed the theory and practice of Rolfing.
The original Rolf Institute, now named the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute in her honor, was founded in Boulder, Colorado, in 1971 and now has locations around the world.
How Rolfing® Structural Integration Addresses Health and wellness
Experience lasting relief from pain and discomfort and restore your health by addressing the body's connective tissue and alignment with Rolfing Structural Integration. Our proven process of 10 sessions effectively relieves soft tissue restrictions, offering a dependable and trustworthy solution without the need for endless treatment plans.
Unlike traditional methods that focus solely on muscles or exercise, Rolfing addresses the biomechanics of body alignment and posture comprehensively. Through the Rolfing experience, you can update your body map, enhancing perception for a profound sense of ease and well-being.
When it comes to discomfort and pain, recent research shows the fibrous connective tissues of fascia are deeply involved. [Fascia Mobility, Proprioception, and Myofascial Pain by HM Langevin · 2021 National Institutes of Health (NIH) (.gov) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov › articles › PMC8304470] Recent studies across various fields, like sports medicine, are confirming the crucial role these connective tissues play in our overall health, well-being, and even the development of certain conditions.
Contraindications
It's important to note that Rolfing, like any alternative medicine, may not work for everyone, and its effectiveness can vary from person to person. Structural Integration is considered safe for anyone, however, certain medical conditions are contraindicated. Those with infections, fevers, acute inflammation, and recent trauma such as accidents, should delay Rolfing until they are better, or consult with their medical professional. Some forms of rheumatoid arthritis, severe osteoporosis, or osteomyelitis are also contraindicated, as well as those with blood clots or some kinds of nerve pain. Consult with a medical professional first.
Fact Checking the Effectiveness of Rolfing
A wealth of research and corroborative evidence supports Rolfing Structural Integration as a means for lasting relief of pain and poor posture. Healthcare professionals don’t always know about the benefits of Rolfing Structural Integration but more and more medical doctors recommend it alongside other treatments.
Many therapies grouped under alternative medicine, such as chiropractic, osteopathy, manual therapies and Structural Integration are still inaccurately described as not supported by scientific research. Old facts can roll around the web like marbles lost under the couch. It is well past time for updated and accurate information about the substantial body of research past and on-going in the fields of fascia, structural integration and somatic therapies to be recognized.
The field of fascia research has opened up a good deal of knowledge about the connective tissue that makes up fascia. The 6th International Fascia Research Congress has taken place and the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute takes a leadership role in [link https://www.rolf.org/research_frc.php ] supporting this work. This article in the New York Times from 2023 provides an easy-to-read summary of these findings: The Tissue That Connects Our Muscles May Be a Key to Better Health [https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/11/well/move/fascia-muscle-health.html ]
There are peer-reviewed journals such as Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (eCAM) that seek to understand the sources and to encourage rigorous research in the new, yet ancient world of complementary and alternative medicine.
The bottom line: Rolfing Structural Integration is “evidence based”. While research continues into its potential uses, evidence does support its benefits for pain and discomfort, improved posture and athletic performance.
A list of research studies from the National Institutes of Health on “fascia research” [https://search.nih.gov/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&affiliate=nih&query=fascia+research&commit=Search ]
The Fascia Research Congress in 2025 [https://www.fasciaresearchsociety.org/docs/2022_FRC_AbstractBook.pdf ] held by The Fascia Research Society [ https://fasciaresearchsociety.org/ ]