Rolfing or Massage Therapy?
Rolfing or Massage Therapy?
Rolfing or massage therapy? Rolfing is a lesser known component to the mind-body balance, but it’s benefits far outweigh those of traditional massage therapy. Rolfing is a system of soft tissue manipulation that changes the structural integrity of your body. It is a therapy that targets the myofascial tissues first, but it is also considered a deep tissue approach in many circles of massage therapy. So how is it different than regular massage therapy? Here are a few reasons to consider Rolfing instead of traditional massage therapy.
The Technique Goes Beyond The Problem You See
You may only feel pain in one part of your body, but that doesn’t mean that it is the origin spot. Our bodies are interconnected biological machines. If one part of your body is showing a problem, it doesn’t necessarily mean that is the only problem there is to deal with. For example, a common cause of back pain is improper footwear or the way someone walks. Rolfing is a way to restore your body’s structural integrity by means of deep tissue realignment. By targeting the tissues closest to the muscles, we can restructure the body and your posture with regular therapy. Generally, it takes ten sessions to fully assess and reintegrate health and balance back into your life.
It Helps Heal Known and Unknown Injuries
One reason Rolfing has become so popular with athletes is because of the techniques ability to target problem areas you may not have been aware of. It can help break up scar tissue, while also improving mobility of the scarred area. It isn’t just athletes that benefit from Rolfing, though. Today, many of us are behind a computer or sitting at a desk all day long. Very few of us are using proper posture while doing so. Even fewer are conscious enough to get up every 45 minutes to loosen up tense muscles. As we grow older, non-movement affects these muscles as well as accidental injuries. Rolfing can help find and target areas affected by these lesser known muscles. You may not feel pain in them, but often other parts of the body are connected to the area you do feel pain in.
Rolfing Also Teaches You About How To Stay Healthy
Your practitioner can help you identify what has been causing your pain. It also helps you understand why realigning your body’s structure can help you stay pain free. Your Rolfer will let you know what movements have been the primary cause of your pain, and teach you to avoid these in the future. This is to prevent future mind-body discord that caused your discomfort to begin with. It seems silly to suggest a Rolfer will teach you how to walk, for example. However, lower back pain is commonly associated with stepping too hard on your heels. Many of us have developed certain habits in the way we move to compensate for other bodily discomforts. This explains why Rolfing is so much more important than massage therapy. It takes the entire body into consideration, to stop all movements negatively affecting your physical health.
So, consider Rolfing for your next therapy. When practiced by a Registered Massage Therapist, it is a service covered under the provincial health plan and also ICBC physical therapy. It is the one therapeutic service that reintegrates your entire physiological health, and helps you live an active, balanced life.
