Rolfing - Massage Therapy

A type of massage, rolfing involves using strong pressure on deep tissues in the back to relieve tightness of the fascia, a sheath of tissue that covers the muscles, that can cause or contribute to back pain. The theory behind rolfing is that releasing muscles and tissues from the fascia enables the back to properly align itself. So far, the usefulness of rolfing for back pain has not been scientifically proven.

From Wikipedia - Free Encyclopedia

Rolfing, a method of structural Integration, is a codified series of soft tissue manipulation, which purports to organize soft tissue relationships, with the objectives of realigning the body structurally and harmonizing its fundamental movement patterns. This is said to enhance vitality and well-being.

The process known as Rolfing was developed in the early to mid 1950's by Ida Pauline Rolf (1896- 1979). Rolf obtained her PhD in biochemistry in 1922; her dissertation concerned the chemistry of unsaturated phosphatides.

Rolf proposed to develop a method of organizing the human structure in relationship with gravity, which she originally called Structural Integration of the Human Body. Early consumers of Structural Integration coined the word Rolfing from the surname of Ida Rolf. Since the early 1970's, Rolfing has been a service mark of the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration, the school founded by Rolf.