Rolfing For Pain Relief

Rolfing/Structural Integration is performed by a Certified Rolfer. It is a series of bodywork sessions that are designed to optimize the alignment and movement of the body, resulting in reduced pain, restored posture, balance, and flexibility.
Historically since the 1960's, the norm was 10 - 60min sessions; 1 session per week for ten weeks. 

With the addition of Rolf Movement as part of the sessions, Rolfers now offer 12 or 13 - 90 min sessions; 1 - 2x per week for optimized results.

If you want to get out of pain, to feel better, to move better, to be more balanced, more grounded, to have less stiffness and more energy...

If you want these things, then yes, Rolfing can help you!

If you want to get out of pain, to feel better, to move better, to be more balanced, more grounded, to have less stiffness and more energy... you want to use a real Certified Rolfer.

The only way to be sure is to go to the official Dr Ida Rolf Institute website at  www.rolf.org to make sure the bodyworker is a Certified Rolfer. 

Rolfing was developed in the 1960's and has a proven track record of success helping people get out of pain. The criticism was that the Rolfing process could at times be rather painful. However, the good news is that it has evolved over the decades to include a more gentle energetic touch that is equally effective, and without the pain. 

Rolfing is the most effective non-surgical treatment for chronic pain, especially when combined with Rolf Movement Therapy. 

Chiropractors often recommend Rolfing to their patients who are not getting sufficient results with chiropractic care. 

Massage by a skilled practitioner can be a useful form of therapeutic bodywork but it can only provide temporary relief. Massage does not address the body as a system of compensation patterns which lead to chronic pain. It works on reducing tight muscles but not as a system. Rolfing provides not only pain relief and reduces tight muscles but it focuses on rebalancing the body as a system so it can feel better and perform better. 

In terms of Good, Better, Best; a series of Rolfing sessions performed by a Certified Rolfer is still the most comprehensive form of bodywork for reducing pain, improving athletic performance and for overall body wellness. 

The cost will depend on the local economy and the skill level of the Rolfer. Fees range from $120 to more than $360 per session. Rolfing is typically performed as a series of 10 or more sessions, however, you need not to commit to more than one session to see if Rolfing is the right option for you. Just like all doctors are different, Rolfers can also be different so it is important to find one you connect with. It is a good idea to go in for one session before committing to more sessions. Then trust your body. Your body will know if it is a good fit. Some Rolfers discount session prices when a package of sessions is purchased. 

Rolfing helps your body function with less pain and optimizes performance now and into the future. 

Rolfing is not an expense, it is an investment in your long-term health. 

Its value depends on your commitment to using natural therapies that can reduce the dependency on medication throughout your life. 

By addressing the root causes of pain, including physical imbalances and traumas, Rolfing offers a potentially transformative approach that can improve your overall well-being and reduce the reliance on medications which may have dangerous side effects when used in the long-term. 

Most insurance policies do NOT cover effective treatments like Rolfing. This is a function of the healthcare industry's bias in favor of using drugs to treat symptoms, over natural healing methods that have a proven track record of safely and effectiveness. 

On a positive note, Rolfing may be covered by an (HSA) Health Savings Account if  you have one through your job. 

A skilled Rolfer is one of the best options for breaking up scar tissue and internal facial adhesions. A Rolfer can produce noticeable changes with every session. You will feel more open and less restricted. When done on the abdomen, it can improve organ function. When done in other areas of the body it can improve muscle function and decrease pain when there are adhesions to or near the nerves. 

Certified Advanced Rolfers and Rolf Movement Practitioners are highly trained. Most have more hours of training than any other form of bodyworker so it is not possible for a layperson to try to Rolf themselves at home. However, there are some very useful and effective devices that everyone should have at home for self care. These include a neck massager, a foot massager, a handheld massager, a foam roller and a large therapy ball. While you can't Rolf yourself at home, there are many things you can do for selfceare. During the Rolfing series, most Rolfers will teach you how to care for yourself with the above mentioned tools. 

Acupuncture is a wonderful therapy with a very long history of helping people feel better and it is very different than Rolfing. It is best for people to try both modalities to see how their body responds to each one, but do not try them both in the same week. 

Rolfing works and opens the same meridians that an acupuncturist treats. Instead of using sharp needles, a Rolfer skillfully and uses their hands and lasers to open blocked nerve pathways. 

An Accupunture session is more relaxing, a Rolfing session is more active. Both are effective for different reasons. And while acupuncture can be effective, it does not fix things that Rolfing can fix. Therefore, a series of Rolfing sessions can be a much more comprehensive therapy.  

Rolfing a custom tailored program designed to eliminate pain, optimize body system's function and body movement.  

It reduces joint and body pain, tight muscles, and addresses poor posture, physical imbalances, repetitive stress injuries, and emotional traumas. 

Athletes, dancers, and musicians use Rolfing to rehabilitate injuries, improve healing, and restore flexibility. 

Rolfing is an investment decision that has a measurable return on investment (ROI). 

Companies have used Rolfing to decrease workers' compensation costs. 

Smart athletes use Rolfing to keep them in the game and extend their careers. 

When there is a history of emotional trauma, Rolfing helps facilitate the release of past traumas, restoring confidence and strengthening the mind-body connection.

Myofacial Release is a very effective massage technique that is based on Rolfing/Structural Integration/Rolf Movement in that it attempts to free restrictions in the facia to provide pain relief. 

It does not however,  incorporate the structural integration or movement education part of the Rolfing protocols which is the retraining and rebalancing of the body as a system. This is why Rolfing is based not on the effectiveness of one session, but on the effectiveness of a series of 10 or more session, which are needed to rebalance the body. It is proven that a series of session that includes the rebalancing of the body is what creates the best long term results. 

In terms of Good, Better, Best; a series of Rolfing sessions performed by a Certified Rolfer is still the most comprehensive form of bodywork for reducing pain, improving athletic performance and for overall body wellness.