Rolfing is a unique form of bodywork that aims to restore movement, alleviate pain, and realign the body using physical manipulation and the forces of gravity.

Libby Eason, a certified advanced Rolfer, worked with a woman who had been standing behind her truck with the gate down when she was hit from behind by a drunk driver.

“One leg, from above her ankle to well above her knee, was scarred from the muscle tissue that had been torn off in the impact,” Eason told The Epoch Times in an email.

Over the course of 10 Rolfing treatments, the scar tissue and the stiffness caused by how her body compensated after the accident became softer and more pliable, improving her ability to walk.

Rolfing Explained

Originally called Structural Integration (SI), Rolfing was founded by Ida Rolf, who earned a doctorate in biochemistry from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University in 1920. She established the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute (DIRI) in 1971 as a nonprofit educational organization. While multiple schools now teach structural integration, DIRI remains the original and only institution authorized to use the term “Rolfing.”

Certified advanced Rolfer Libby Eason, chair of the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute board of directors, noted, “Rolfing SI is a process that works with the connective tissues called fascia to reorganize and realign your body so that it is much better friends with gravity. As we know, gravity never sleeps. The accumulation of repetitive motion—including sitting at a computer—injuries, and stress can cause the fascia to shorten and restrict the motion of the muscles.”

Melissa Schneider, a certified advanced Rolfer for the past decade, describes Rolfing as an advanced hands-on bodywork modality that helps improve posture and movement. It begins by assessing how a person stands and moves to find tight or restricted areas in the body. Then, these restrictions are released by working on the connective tissue—or fascial system.

“I think what sets it apart from other bodywork modalities is that it might go deep in some ways that some other systems do, but it continues to hold this view of the whole structure and how things are connected and interrelated,” Schneider told The Epoch Times.

Classic Rolfing Structural Integration is carried out in 10 sessions—called the “Ten Series.” These one-on-one sessions with a Rolfer last about an hour each.

Patti Selleck, a certified advanced Rolfer with more than 30 years of experience, said each session focuses on a different part of the body or a set of “anatomical territories.” Rolf designed each of the 10 sessions with a specific goal and purpose to create structural order.

Fascia Defined

Rolfing manipulates fascia that has become stuck or congested, but what exactly is this seemingly mysterious aspect of the body?

Fascia consists of layers of connective tissue that run throughout the body and cover internal structures—from large ones like muscles, organs, and bones down to the most minute including joints, tendons, nerves, and even cells.

“You have 206 bones in your body that are floating within that connective tissue [fascia]. And what happens is, ‘Oh, on this planet, we have gravity, right?’ And so what happens with your fascial bodysuit? It’s like your giant web suit of connective tissue that’s electrically conductive,” Selleck told The Epoch Times.

Schneider adds, “It’s made up of collagen and elastin fibers, and because of that, it creates this full-body continuity.”

Although there’s still more to learn about fascia, research is ongoing. It is known to contain tiny nerves and serve as a communication system throughout the body, maintaining appropriate tension patterns depending on how we use our bodies.

There are four different types of fascia:

• Superficial fascia: under the skin
• Visceral fascia: around specific organs
• Deep fascia: around bones, muscles, organs, and blood vessels
• Parietal fascia: lining the body cavities

Fascia provides a smooth surface around joints, organs, and muscles so they can glide against each other and move without friction. When healthy, fascia is relaxed and pliable, allowing the body to move freely. However, trauma, inflammation, or overuse can damage fascia, causing it to tighten and restrict movement, leading to pain, decreased circulation, and limited range of motion.

Fascia has many vital functions in the body:

• Provides strength and structural support
• Improves circulation
• Holds muscles together, allowing them to stretch and contract
• Encloses different organs
• Enables the body to move freely
• Eases muscle tension by separating muscles
• Protects tissues and organs from injury
• Helps transmit forces generated by muscles or external activity throughout the body
• Aids communication throughout the body as it contains nerves that allow the brain and body to communicate
• Assists in proprioception, or an awareness of our bodies in space

Rolfers believe that over time, our lifestyles and the effects of gravity can cause our fascia to stiffen, shorten, and stick together, which can lead to the following:

• Stress and tension
• Poor posture
• Chronic pain
• Knots and scar tissue
• Reduced mobility
• Muscle pain and stiffness
• Inflexibility

Additional Benefits of Rolfing

A 2022 study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine examined how Structural Integration affects flexibility in the shoulders and hips. The researchers reviewed 23 years of medical records from a Structural Integration practice, analyzing 383 people who had each completed 10 SI sessions. Measurements taken before and after treatment showed significant improvements in hip and shoulder flexibility.

According to the European Rolfing Association, Rolfing enhances physical function, emotional well-being, flexibility, balance, posture, and energy levels. It’s often used by those recovering from injuries, surgeries, or pregnancy and people managing chronic pain.

In one small study, 31 participants with neck dysfunction completed 10 Rolfing sessions over three years. Results showed that post-treatment, participants had significantly less pain and increased active range of motion. Older participants saw a 67 percent reduction in pain, while younger participants had a 34 percent improvement in their ability to rotate their necks.

Additionally, Rolfing is often used to increase self-awareness and expression for those who dance, act, or play an instrument, as well as individuals looking to elevate their game in sports or athletics.

Eason said she once worked with a 60-year-old marathon runner who was finding it increasingly difficult to run—something he loved.

“His entire lower body had the consistency of old shoe leather. Over the course of the Rolfing SI 10-series, his legs and glutes became more pliable, and his movement became free and easy again,” she added.

Schneider said Rolfing can be highly beneficial for people whose professions involve movement, like athletes or dancers, who tend to have greater body awareness.

“But also, it’s so good for everybody, and it’s so great for creating the potential for understanding our bodies better,” she said.

A small study of 13 women investigated how 10 sessions of Rolfing Structural Integration affected their fascia—specifically, if they could improve blood flow, reduce stiffness, and increase its elasticity. Results showed that 10 sessions of Rolfing SI significantly increased blood flow in fascial tissue, reduced muscle stiffness, and made fascia more elastic, particularly in their dominant arm.

Rolfing may also have emotional and psychological benefits. According to DIRI, the body can hold onto past physical and emotional traumas, which may sometimes be released much later through bodywork—including Rolfing. Although Rolfers are not therapists, they can support this process and create a safe space for clients to release these experiences—which they state can be profound.

Jillian, a bodyworker and client of Selleck, describes the benefits of receiving Rolfing treatment.

“One of the surprising benefits of Rolfing is not only the organization and alignment I felt within my body but the strength of character, self-confidence, and authenticity that came from having my body more organized. I have been able to advocate for myself more readily because I feel more integrated and authentic in my own skin,” she told The Epoch Times in an email.

Conditions Caused by Congested Fascia

Selleck says that our movements and gravity can cause our fascia to become thickened, shortened, and rotated.

“Imagine putting on a pair of pantyhose and they’re twisted in several different directions—or you have several different layers all doing different things.”

The body is an incredibly complex combination of systems, and although fascia is extensive, it isn’t the only reason things can go wrong and result in pain and limited movement. Below are some of the conditions to which fascia dysfunction may contribute.

• Frozen shoulder: Stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint that makes movement difficult
• Dupuytren contracture: Thickening of fascia in the palm that pulls fingers inward, limiting their ability to straighten
• Hernias: Weak spots in muscle or fascia that allow an organ or tissue to push through, often causing discomfort or a bulge
• Compartment syndrome: Swelling or pressure within a muscle compartment that restricts blood flow, potentially leading to nerve or muscle damage
• Plantar fasciopathy: Degeneration of the fascia on the bottom of the foot, causing heel pain and stiffness, but without the inflammation seen in plantar fasciitis

Some conditions, like acute compartment syndrome, can be life-threatening and should be treated by a physician. While Rolfing can be a helpful adjunct treatment, consulting with a health care provider is recommended if you have any of the above conditions.

Schneider explains the symptoms of someone with fascial issues.

“Chronic tension and pain, lack of mobility, and a feeling of stiffness are among some of the indicators of fascial tension. Repetitive movements, poor posture, and surgery tend to map down more fascia to help support our body to be able to hold those positions and movements,” she said.

“Also, the fascial system, in part, is an organ of proprioception because there are nerve endings in the fascial wrappings that help us sense our internal space, our movement, appropriate body tension, and the environment around us,” she added.

Schneider notes that injuries, chronic pain, or restricted movement can restrict the nerves in those locations, leading to poor posture, limited mobility, and loss of balance.

“Hands-on manual therapy like Rolfing Structural Integration and somatic movement therapies like Rolf Movement can help improve a client’s fascia resilience,” she concluded.

Safety and Contraindications

A common misconception about Rolfing is that it is painful. While treatments can sometimes generate intense sensations, Eason clarified that unnecessary pain is not part of the process.

“Intensity is tolerable and even feels good when kept at a level the client can relax into. Pacing and working at the appropriate depth are ways to keep the client comfortable while inviting change in the tissues,” she said.

“A corollary to the painful idea is that deep work is necessary to effect change. Rolfing SI practitioners learn that the work starts in the superficial layer, and advancing to deeper structures is better accomplished within the client’s comfort range after the superficial layer is more resilient,” she added.

Jillian said she thoroughly enjoys her Rolfing treatments and describes how they feel.

“Rolfing felt like a much more therapeutic approach to organizing and integrating my body, in contrast to massage, which is more relaxing and disorganizing. I felt like I was able to stand up without effort, walk without strain after being Rolfed.”

Eason also notes that autoimmune disorders that cause inflammation, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, can be contraindicated. However, receiving treatment may be possible if the client is not experiencing a flare-up and their condition is well-managed medically. Anyone with an autoimmune disorder should consult their health care provider before beginning Rolfing.

Selleck, whose clients sometimes travel from out of state to work with her, describes the benefits of Rolfing, saying that structure determines function—and by altering the body’s structure, we improve its function. This enhances organ performance, promotes smoother energy flow, prevents blockages, and allows fluids to flow more freely.

“You’re a giant pump system, a hydraulic body that, instead of walking around feeling like an anvil, you'll move more like a water balloon. We restore your body’s ability to function with ease.”