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This is the gospel of Rolfing:
When the body gets working appropriately, the
force of gravity can flow through.
Then, spontaneously, the body heals
itself.
Ida P. Rolf, Ph.D.
Clients of Rolfing regularly acknowledge that they feel taller, more
at ease in their body, "lighter", recover from strain easier
and have more physical energy. These come, from a body that is more aligned with
gravity. As the body becomes aligned with the force of gravity, gravity acts
on it in a straight line. This is a simple principle, one that serves us
well in construction. While the body is more like a geodesic dome or a
tensegrity structure, made up of compression elements suspended in tensional
elements than a house's walls, gravity works on it in the same way.
Other often reported benefits are:
*
Improved balance:
Through Rolfing the weight of
the body, read gravity acting on it, moves more evenly through it. The
body is literally balanced, right to left, side to side and top to
bottom.
* Better posture: It
stands to reason that a body that is more balanced would have better
posture than one that is not. This absolutely true of a "rolfed" body.
* Breathing is easier:
As the fascial restrictions of the ribs and torso are removed the lungs
have less resistance to their filling with air. They don't fight a rib
"cage". More air means more potential oxygen.
* Improved joint and soft tissue Range of Motion:
As the fascial restrictions
are released, the soft tissue balanced and integrated the action of the
mucles, tendons and ligaments on the joints becomes more balanced as
well. This often is experienced as greater ROM. This was validated in a
scientific study conducted at UCLA.
* Improved soft tissue
flexibility
* More mental energy
* Decreased physical pain
* Easier recovery from
exertion
* Movements are easier and
more fluid
* Athletic performance is
improved
* A calmer mind, well being
* Improved body awareness
While Rolfing is considered a Holistic or Whole Body therapy, not
concentrating on one area of the body. There are many specific symptoms that
Rolfing has been noted to help. Such as:
* Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
* Whiplash injuries
* Back pain
* Temporal Mandibular (TMJ)
problems
* Plantar Fasciitis
* Frozen Shoulder syndrome
* Tennis Elbow
* Foot problems, pronation,
supination and flat
* Scoliosis
* Spinal Lordosis or Kyphosis
* Neck, Shoulder and Back
hyper-tension
* Headaches
* Knee pain
* Hip pain.
All of the above are helped
through the release of the fascial restrictions and the alignment of the
body.
Rolfing is not a medical
procedure and should not be pursued in lieu of proper medical care.
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