Want to learn
more about your personal situation? Ready to try it? “Go local” and
talk to a certified Rolfer near you ….Rolfing® for runners provides a valuable process to improve their performance, prevent injuries, and enhance their overall well-being. By addressing alignment, flexibility, pain, as well as performance, Rolfing offers a holistic approach to supporting runners in their training and racing endeavors.
Rolfing Structural Integration works by releasing tensional patterns in the fascia to increase mobility and bring a body in alignment, making it easier to run. That being said, the first Rolfing session is about freeing the breathing from restrictions by working on the breathing musculature (torso, ribcage, etc.). More breathing capacity in all three planes means more endurance and better performance, because by aligning the thoracic, abdominal and abdominopelvic cavities it improves stability between the chest and pelvis.
Another important aspect of Rolfing® is movement education. People often relate Rolfing® only to fascia and the hands-on work on the body. Rolfing Movement® Integration provides the mind-body connection to help with movement economy and body awareness. Rolfers® take into account biomechanical aspects of running, such as: step length, the angle of the lower leg at foot contact, hamstrings flexibility, and more.
The bottom line: Rolfing can help you organize your posture and fascial structure. This will help you run smoother, faster and/or longer distances and avoid injuries plus recovering faster!
Serious runners deal with mild aches or pains on a frequent basis: a tight hamstring, joint pain, plantar fasciitis or knee issues, just to name a few. Over time these can advance into more serious conditions and even limit a runner’s freedom to run. Some of the typical injuries a runner can experience are plantar fasciitis, patellofemoral pain syndrome, sciatic nerve pain, Achilles tendonitis, iliotibial band syndrome, just to name a few. Rolfing® supports injury prevention of these and other repetitive stress injuries by restoring an ideal alignment for your body.
New research has shown that muscle soreness does not come from the muscle tissue alone, but from the fascia, which envelops the muscles. Rolfing accelerates injury recovery by improving movement and circulation around the joints and muscles. Improved circulation benefits the sore and inflamed tissue or joint.
The fascia can also build up more connective tissue to protect areas that have been injured in the past or are working inappropriately. Buildup and stiffening of fascia limits your range of motion. Structural Integration can help loosen the “stuck” fascia, allowing the body to heal and recover faster.
After years of clients and colleagues asking for a
user-friendly
explanation of Rolfing SI I decided to write The Power of
Rolfing.
Clients who experience the benefits of Rolfing want to share
it with
others—they want a book that explains what they experienced.
Learn about my latest endeavor at www.meld.community
"I cannot recommend Rich enough to anyone interested with liberating their fascia, and reinvigorating their horizons!”
-- EK, College Student
Since I started the Rolf Method of Structural Integration, I have not had any back spasms. In addition, my posture has improved and the tension in my shoulders and back is gone. I have not had any spasms in over eight months."
-- John Kromminga, Ultra Marathoner
Reading articles and especially research takes effort… but sometimes you have to do the deep dive. This list of articles and research papers explore running performance and injuries in more depth and describe clinical studies and the other research ongoing in the field of Fascial work And Structural Integration related to running.
The Irish Independent, Oct 24, 2019
The Guardian, Sep 9, 2014
The Rolf Method of Structural Integration, chapter 5 JEFFREY MAITLAND, Elsevier 2002
Rolfing is trusted by many individual medical professionals, including chiropractors, osteopaths, and sports medicine doctors. It is also trusted by athletes due to its ability to give the body much needed stability and flexibility. It is still important to consult with a qualified healthcare professional before pursuing it, especially if you have any underlying medical conditions.
