Monica Caspari and Heidi Massa

Premises of the work

Rolfing Structural Integration¹, developed by Ida P. Rolf, PhD, organizes the human being in gravity. It enhances structural and functional integrity, as revealed by proper alignment and coordination. Two foundational premises distinguish Rolfing from other somatic practices: first, that physical balance, fluidity, ease and grace, and indeed personal well-being, all require appropriate adaptation to the field of gravity; and second, that the fundamental organ of structure is fascia.

Rolfers approach misalignment and chronic musculoskeletal complaints from the perspective that symptoms manifest a more generalized dysfunction; and that if posture and movement quality improve, complaints are likely to resolve spontaneously.² Rolfers therefore address the whole person, rather than the person’s presenting complaints.

Key characteristics of fascia for Rolfing Structural Integration

Rolfing works because fascia is:

Fascia forms a continuous web throughout the whole body, surrounding all muscles, bones, nerves and organs. Because the fascia associated with any body structure typically lacks an anatomical name, we use the name of the structure itself to refer to its associated fascia. Through the fascia, the entire body is affected somewhat by any local change. This fascial continuity allows Rolfers to facilitate change in tissues distant from the contact point – even those that cannot be touched directly. To influence the body’s many layers and planes of fascia, the distinctly vectored touch of Rolfing is highly educated and versatile.

The fascial web constantly changes shape, chemical composition, and physical properties to adapt to mechanical and other stresses. Recognizing fascia’s capacity to self-correct over time, Rolfers facilitate limited positional and functional changes to which the body can adapt, allowing adequate time between interventions for the adaptations to occur. After each adaptation, new changes become possible.

The fascial web, dense with various mechanoreceptors, is a body-wide mechanosensory organ (Schleip 2003) telling us where we are in space and what our bodies are doing. As information is collected and carried through the fascial web (Langevin 2006), the mechanoreceptors communicate with a self-regulating aspect of the neuromotor system.

Finally, fascia responds to gravity – the force to which we are all continuously subject. As a ship’s sail needs wind to function, fascia needs gravity. In a sense, gravity is a fixed vector against which fascia organizes bodily structure and function.

Facilitating integrated structure and function

Much of the Rolfer’s work is to balance opposing lengths and tensions within the fascial net. Structurally, Rolfers look for a palintonic quality of posture (relative segmental arrangement). The Greek palintonos refers to a dialog between opposites within an orthogonal order, which order is manifest in the relationships among structures, spatial dimensions, volumes and planes. An imaginary plumb line through the center of the body expresses occupation and use of space in the sagittal, frontal and horizontal planes (see Fig. 7.3.1). Posture both potentiates and limits movement options. Functionally, Rolfers assess movement for ease, fluidity, and contralateral movement in the limbs, shoulder and pelvic girdles, and spine. In general, as palintonic right angles are established in the structure, the diagonals of contralaterality emerge in function.

Before we can move, we perceive and orient to directions in space. The Rolfer’s work reaches beyond fascial patterns to patterns of sensory perception (touch, vision, hearing, and proprioception) and neuromotor coordination (balance between tonic and phasic muscles, and between local and global body stabilizers), as dysfunction in either realm limits structural and functional order.

Finally, because Rolfers understand that both structure and function are in some sense relational attitudes based on all aspects of experience, they consider not only the client’s perceptions of the social and physical environment, but also awareness of and attribution of meaning to them.

This chapter uses the traditional 10-session series to illustrate how Rolfers take advantage of fascia’s key characteristics. The discussion of each session is descriptive only, and far from comprehensive as to elements or processes.

The traditional Rolfing Structural Integration series

Dr. Rolf’s 10-session protocol is both a teaching tool and a basic strategy to deliver the work, though in practice the number and content of sessions are influenced by the client’s needs and the practitioner’s expertise.

The protocol builds on key characteristics of fascia as an organ of structure and communication, its logic producing an orderly and well-supported arrangement of body segments in 3-dimensional space along the imaginary plumb line. Because fascia wraps body parts in layers of varying depths, the protocol starts from the outer layers, first working inward — and then back outward. Since fascia is malleable according to changes in functional demands and over time, the protocol induces changes in the right order – i.e., in an order such that the fascia can adapt and integrate them. Because the density of mechanoreceptors and other characteristics of healthy fascia make it an information highway (especially for information related to the gravity response), the protocol addresses early on the fascia of key orienting areas such as the feet and the occiput. Finally, because fascia responds to gravity, the protocol starts from the ground and works up – and then back down – building from an adequate foundation a balanced structure free of torsions caused by cantilevers.

The logic of the protocol is functional, too; e.g., we begin by freeing the breath, progress through finding the ground, and conclude by integrating the person in his or her surroundings. The sequence facilitates progressive levels of movement integration, manifesting as enhanced contralaterality.

Related posts:

The subcutaneous and epitendinous tissue behavior of the multimicrovacuolar sliding system Myofascial force transmission: An introduction Fascia-related disorders: An introduction Mathematical modeling Fascial manipulation Fascial palpation

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