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| Rolfing bodywork therapy (image is credited from https://www.movementmatters-bali.com/) |
Understanding of Bodywork Therapy
Bodywork therapies is a general term that refers to a group of body-based approaches to treatment that emphasize manipulation and realignment of the body's structure in order to improve its function as well as the client's mental outlook. These therapies typically combine a relatively passive phase, in which the client receives deep-tissue bodywork or postural correction from an experienced instructor or practitioner, and a more active period of movement education, in which the client practices sitting, standing, and moving about with better alignment of the body and greater ease of motion.Bodywork should not be equated with massage simply speaking. Massage therapy is one form of bodywork, but in massage therapy, the practitioner uses oil or lotion to reduce the friction between his or her hands and the client's skin. In most form of body work, little if any lubrication is used, as the goal of this type of hands-on treatment is to warm, relax, and stretch the fascia (a band or sheath of connective tissue that covers, supports, or connects the muscles and the internal organs) and underlying layers of tissue.
Purpose of Bodywork Therapy
The purpose of bodywork therapy is the correction of problems in the client's overall posture, connective tissue, and/ or musculature in order to bring about greater ease of movement, less discomfort, and a higher level of energy in daily activity. Some forms of bodywork have a secondary purpose the healing or prevention of repetitive stress injuries, particularly for people whose occupations require intensive use of specific parts of the body such as professional athletes, musicians, and dancers. Bodywork may also heal or prevent specific musculoskeletal problems, such as lower back pain or neck pain.Rolfing Technique of Bodywork Therapy
Rolfing, which is also called Rolf therapy or structural integration, is a holistic system of bodywork that uses deep manipulation the body's soft tissue to realign and balance the body's myofascial (muscular and connective tissue) structure. It was developed by Ida Rolf , a biochemist who became interested in the structure of the human body after an accident damaged her health. She studied with an osteopath as well as with practitioners of other forms of alternative medicine, and developed her own technique of body movement that she called structural integration. Rolfing is an approach that seeks to counteract the effects of gravity, which tends to pull the body out of alignment over time and cause the connective tissues to stiffen and contract.Rolfing treatment begins with the so-called "Basic Ten", a series of ten sessions each lasting 60-90 minutes, spaced a week or longer apart. After a period of integration, the client may undertake advanced treatment sessions. "Tune up", sessions are recommended every six months. In Rolfing sessions, the practitioner uses his or her fingers, hands, knuckles, or elbows to rework the connective tissue over the client's entire body. The deep tissues are worked until they become pliable, which allows the muscles to lengthen and return to their proper alignment. Rolfing treatments are done on a massage table, with the client wearing only undergarments.
Reference: The Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders