Rolfing :: Research Physical Muscle Essays

Rolfing Rolfing is a scientific and organized system of manipulating the muscles in the body to their correct positions. Rolfing is a controlled approach within the general field of structural integration. Rolfing was originally called "structural integration." Some people still use the words, structural integration, instead of Rolfing (www.smart.net/~astro/define.html). Developed by Ida P. Rolf, Ph.D., this practice includes the process of teaching the body how to move by manipulating the body. People that are involved in Rolfing believe that the versatility and harmony of the body has to do with how the body deals with the field of gravity. Gravity is the most powerful force that affects the human body. The goal is to balance the body, and the main objective is to be in harmony with the body (www.lyrisys.com/LinSilver/). Rolfing restructures and educates the body to move in a specific manner. It releases the tension in the tissues which hold the bones and organs together to let the body r e-align or balance itself with the force of gravity. Since Rolfing gives the body a better balance, it takes less energy to fight against gravity. It re-educates the body's movement patterns. Movement in the body becomes simpler and there is an improvement in daily functions (www.igrin.co.nz/business/rolfing2.htm). In the 1930's and 1940's, Dr. Ida P. Rolf was a biochemist who studied the movement and function of the corrective tissue. Fifty years ago, Dr. Rolf named her work structural integration, but today it is known as Rolfing. She was interested in finding out about long-term contractions by pointing out the faults of the muscle tissues. She had a son that was ill and no doctor could find the cure. Then, she realized that the problem was within her son's body. The internal organs were being compressed. She started to massage her son, and the pain her son was feeling began to disappear (www.concentric.net/~wkaye/HistoryPage.html). Dr. Rolf worked in creating a holistic system of manipulating the tissues and educating the body's movement in symmetry with gravity. She found that by guiding the body's system with posturing and structuring, people could begin to feel changes in their body. Rolfing was the nickname that was given after the founder, Dr. Ida Rolf (www.rolf.org/intro.html). Af ter giving many lectures and writing many books, she founded the Rolf Institute to teach others the concept of Rolfing (www.concentric.net/~wkaye/HistoryPage.html). The main goal in Rolfing is to align the body to its original state.