Q: My brother is going to a Rolfer for his back problem. I've heard about Rolfing, but what is it, and is it going to hurt him?

A: Do you remember how your mother always told you to stand up straight? Well, the smart-aleck answer would be "I can't, Mom, I need to be Rolfed." Imagine the look you'd get. (And you might be grounded for a week.) But that's really what Rolfing is about -- helping you to stand up straighter. Rolfing is a hands-on, manual massage-like technique that is supposed to improve your posture and physical function. It's named for Ida P. Rolf, who developed it in the 1940s. Rolf was a biochemist trained at Columbia University in the 1920s. She got very interested in the effects of gravity on the human structure.

      Her ideas centered on the tough sheets of connective tissue, running up and down through the body and surrounding the muscles, called fascia. Think of fascia as the plastic wrap of the body's components. They help to hold the body's shape and separate the internal compartments of muscles, blood vessels and nerves.
      Rolf theorized that these planes of connective tissue could get tightened in certain patterns, and in that way affect our posture and our health.
      She developed techniques for supposedly stretching your fascia, changing your shape slightly, improving how you hold yourself and easing your movements. By the time of her death in 1979 she had established the Rolf Institute for Structural Integration in Boulder, Colo., and trained about 200 practitioners. There are now more than 1,000 Rolfers worldwide, in virtually every country.
      Rolfing is delivered in 10 standard sessions that are designed to pretty much cover the whole body. The therapist will use long, deep strokes along the lines of the muscles, doing some localized stretching on each area. Rolfers are big into gravity lines (plumb lines) and they often like to take before and after photographs of your posture to show the changes.
      So what is Rolfing like? Well, the usual comment about Rolfing is that it hurts. I have received this therapy myself, and it's not the most comfortable bodywork I've ever gotten. But I wouldn't say that it's really so very painful, and it does seem to make you feel better.
      Does Rolfing really work? That depends on what you mean by work. It can certainly make you feel more relaxed, and it appears to improve your posture. But that might be caused by reasons other than actually stretching the connective tissue. Rolfers have a lot of fancy theory about what they are doing and the effects of the treatment. Unfortunately, there is little science behind these claims. The handful of research papers on Rolfing are of quite questionable quality, with the better studies having big problems with how they handled the control groups.
      It is true that connective tissue, like ligaments and tendons, will shorten with time. That's why we all need to stay in motion and stretch. But I'm not entirely convinced that you can stretch fascia by pushing on it through intact skin and subcutaneous fat. I've cut through fascia plenty of times while doing surgery, and it's usually seemed pretty tough and strong to me. But maybe they can stretch it.
      So who knows? I have known people who have said that Rolfing changed their life for the better, but who's to say whether it was because they actually got their fascia stretched or rather because they got some great, deep bodywork. Dr. Tiffany Field at the University of Miami Touch Research Institute has shown that firm pressure in massage is much more effective than light pressure. Could it be that people feel better from Rolfing simply because of the deep massage that is used?
      Practitioners of the Alexander technique (a therapy that tries to re-teach you how to hold yourself and how to move without scrunching your body) would say that Rolfing doesn't go far enough, that you have to correct the constant mental habits of how you move if you want to improve your posture. They would say that even if you get all stretched out, if you're still moving the wrong way you'll just get tightened up again.
      But there are lots of reasons for people slouching. Many women slouch because they are shy about their bodies. Folks who are depressed often hold their bodies in a way that is easy to spot. I slouch because I'm too damn tall. I bet you're slouching now, looking at this computer screen. At the risk of sounding like your mother, straighten up! And get that computer screen up even with your eyes. No slouching here at OnHealth!
      So if your brother wants to try a Rolf-trained therapist for his back, I'd say why not? It just might make him feel better. Even if it does hurt.

Ask Dr. James Dillard a Question


This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. Do not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem. Please consult your health care provider if you suspect you are ill, or have questions about your condition.


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