Also called structural integration, Rolfing is a musculoskeletal method. It is a deep bodywork technique that can resemble a dynamic massage. Its goal is to reshape the body by placing it back on its central axis. It works by re-educating posture and movement. This method was developed in the s by the American biochemistry doctor Ida Rolf who discovered the plastic nature of connective tissue.
Source: compilation of YouTube videos fair use - if you want to remove content contact us at contact leneurogroupe. Rolfing is a massage technique halfway between yoga and osteopathy.
Its goal is to put the body back on its central axis by reshaping the posture and re-educating the movement. The manual action would lead to a modification of the configuration of the muscle in its envelope and therefore an improvement in the health of the individual. Initially, the treatment consists of preparing the body for a new adaptive strategy. In a second step, the patient is asked to change his or her postural habits.
The subject is lying on a massage table or padded mat. The practitioner is moving around him or her - standing, sitting or squatting. Sessions last about an hour and the classic treatment lasts 10 weeks at the rate of one session per week.
This is accomplished through a variety of palpations, slow pressures and manipulations that are more or less vigorous but are not meant to hurt. It involves pinching, smoothing, massaging, kneading, pressing, both with the fingers and palms and with the fists and elbows - in particular to stretch and soften the connective tissue. There are also educational sessions, structured in a progressive programme of about ten meetings, which aim to explore the body's mechanisms breathing, walking, sitting posture, etc.
