Experiences of Rolfing

LollieB

Not sure if this is in the right forum- mods please move if necessary!

I am really interested in rolfing for a number of reasons- I work in the health care sector & I am suffering from lower back pain & shoulder pain despite my best manual handling practices!

I also have very bad posture which I would like to correct as much as possible. On top of all that, a psychotherapist friend told me she recommends rolfing to patients as it has been known to help increase self esteem and improve body image, although she herself has never had a session.

Can anyone tell me what it is like and if it is worth it? How long do sessions usually last? Is it like a very long massage?

I've read a bit online & found a few therapists close enough to me. I would have one session first before I commit to a series of sessions. Is it worth the money?

Cheers!

kelle

Sorry, no experience of this but on reading about it I recall it being a celebrity trend a few years ago.

RobMcWilliams

Rolfing® Structural Integration is distinct from massage. It is a method of soft-tissue manipulation and movement re-patterning. The touch is much more precise and your feeling of release is both greater and more empowering. Sessions typically last one to one and a half hours. Cost varies by market, but it will be more than a massage. If it is not, find another Rolfer™. I charge $110-$130 US for 1.25 hours ( i work in two different markets in the US).
You will feel more functionality, more ease, and recover quicker from injury. Why? Rolfing considers the various levels of fascial envelopes, and tissue/fluid gliding surfaces inside of us. Most injuries are a result of strains in the supporting fascia, often caused by abnormalities somewhere else. The simple analogy: tog your shirttail down and to the right. You may feel tension in the fabric on the left side of your neck. You would, by analogy, feel a strain in one place ( say, for example, the left side of your neck) but the actual cause is elsewhere ( the tug in the fascial fabric of the body in your hip or psoas, lower down). There's more to it-especially regarding work with inflamed nerves.
It sounds to me like you need to learn to strengthen yourself properly for your work, too. One basic factoid: if you feel yourself engaged in lifting while rounding your back and twisting at the same time ( sound familiar)-stop and figure out another way, involving putting some extension in the low spine to brace, or avoid ( at all costs) the twisting movement, especially w/ arms away from your center with a flexed ( rounded) low spine.
Rolfing can make you feel like new again! Go for it.

eilo1

Get a foam roller and a good weight training program from a pysio/Dr. with an interest in sports medicine.

LollieB

Thanks for the replies guys!

I went ahead & had a session & felt great afterwards! My shoulders & hips feel so much more relaxed than before. It was a uncomfortable at times during the treatment (especially when the therapist was working on my thighs- man it burned!) & I have one bruise on my chest but I feel I'm taller & walking more solidly already!

She recommended I go for three sessions rather than the usual 10. So I think I will go back but in the meantime I am going to start yoga &, like suggested, some weight training to work on my back.

Cheers again!