Rolfing: Case Study

Rolfing Ten Series

Follow the entire Rolfing Ten Series over 7 weeks with frank and honest insights from our  clients.

This post we share what are referred to as the core sessions of 4 – 7 as the practitioner works on the areas between the pelvis and the top of the head as well as the deep tissue parts of the legs as they are the foundation that supports the body.

If you haven’t already had a chance to read Part 1 – Sessions 1 – 3 we recommend that you take a moment to catch up before reading further on how the method of Ida Rolf could change your body.

Sessions 4 – 7

Delving into the deep fascia

Session 4 we start this part of the journey from the inside arch of the foot and up the leg, to the bottom of the pelvis.

Related Topics

• Holistic HealingMyofascial Release and Trigger Point Therapy
• Holistic HealingPrivate: Reflexology
• Holistic HealingThe Ida Rolf Method

Treatment 4

C1 – Response to treatment

Dear Mandy and Santiago,

Treatment Four, in a word, “INTENSE!”

The inner thighs were treated, and yes it was painful; however, I wanted to endure as much as possible as I want to have maximum results. 

One more “OUCH!” 

Now that the exclamations are out of the way, here’s my report: I am experiencing some interesting “voicing” of my muscles – good and not-so-good moments. Santiago warned me that I may experience “set-backs” for lack of a better description. 

What am I doing to support the treatment? Walking, and some stretching.  

Kind regards.

C2 – Response to Rolfing treatment

Session four was the most intense, so far. It was intense, but tolerable.

Santiago knows what he is doing. He explains every procedure and tells me what he is going to do and why he is doing it. I did my best to relax and breathe deeply. That helped me endure the discomfort. Afterwards, I noticed a change in my posture and the change seemed to endure.

He worked a few minutes on my upper cervical area, which I need, as I still have a compressed nerve which causes numbness in my extremities.

Treatment 5

Session 5 is concerned with balancing surface and deep abdominal muscles to the curve of the back.

C1 – Response to Rolfing treatment

Mandy and Santiago,

Today, I arrived with much pain and soreness in my left lower back and hip, which is partly the reason for my tardiness. Honestly, I felt as if I had a notable setback; however, I made excuses for it – but I physically and mentally I was convinced my issues had worsen.

Santiago is a patient therapist and took his time to explain. Also, he allow for my apparent frazzle-ness. 

He instructed me on how to do several exercises. It seemed that the pain lessen after doing the simple exercises. Then, he worked on my chest, stomach, and abdominal areas – the lower abdominal was painful.

Something to note: while Santiago briefly worked on my left shoulder-bone (right at the joint) he tapped into an injury that I had more than fifteen years ago, and that no other massage treatment has addressed. It seemed that the injury and pain was deep inside the bone-joint, an unreachable. Quite frankly, I would have been happy if Santiago had only worked on that shoulder. Well, I am now hopeful that the near-constant pain in the shoulder will be addressed in the subsequent treatments.

Interestingly, right after the treatment I felt extremely sleepy. Although my lower back is still sore, the sharp-jabbing pain has stopped. Now that’s significant progress! And I look forward to a good night’s sleep.

Also, I’ve noticed a difference in the outline of my body from the side – another YAY!

Thank you.

From the team

Hello,

As always on this journey we thank you for your feedback and honesty.  

The body is habitual and you are making strong structural changes as you go through the program.  It will rebel!

It is similar when I start my detox program with people.  The initial stages are sometimes very trying and uncomfortable.  We call it the ‘healing crisis’.

However with perseverance and adaptation to your habits the body shifts into the new alignment both physically, mentally and cellular.

Hang in there

Warm regards,

Mandy

C2 – Response to treatment

Santiago concentrated on my sides and tummy. My belly is sensitive, so I had to focus on relaxing and breathing to keep from tensing up. We saw results straight away; the lateral curve in my spine is less pronounced.

Again, I can see and feel that the Rolfing treatment is working.

Thanks Team Australia!

From the team

Regarding the last session and your feedback Mandy did answer some of your ideas. About the shoulder we will address it as one of the coming sessions works on the shoulder girdle. However the goal will not be on specifically targeting so the pain goes away. The idea is that finding your body in a better balance working with and not again gravity many issues could potentially disappear or at least lessen in significant ways.

Your comment on the change in the body outline is golden and I am confident it will show in the pictures and in your overall well being. 

I’ve already compared your partner’s process and the change is very noticeable on the profile.

Kindly

Gracias, Gràcies, Thank You,

Santiago

Treatment 6

Session 6 has a focus on the legs, pelvis and lower back.

C1 – Response to Rolfing treatment

Hello to All,

I don’t have much to share this time; however, the treatment was successful in that there were immediate and significant pluses during the session. 

Although I haven’t done all of the exercises that Santiago has instructed me to do, I am using the red ball on the feet and hips. Also, I’m doing the eye-exercise. 

Even though my partner and I commented that we didn’t know what to expect from this intense treatment, I was hopeful that the outcome would be a releasing of stress. And I think that there has been some element of what I’ve hoped. As there have been brief periods of feeling weepy during the sessions – but I would NEVER give-in to such a public display of emotions. (At least, I hope that I would NEVER.)

Well, those are my thoughts, which may or may not be what you are looking for – but those are my thoughts.

Kind regards.

From the team

Thank you again for sharing your insights. 

I do believe that many emotions or memories may get entrapped in our tissues. Suffice to feel any contraction in fear or pain may lead to a letting and out pour of sadness or anger or any feelings or any memory.

Releasing them by letting the body express itself will do a great deal of good. While going through the Rolfing process my hope is that you are not to feel that you are on public display. 

If lowering the stress may happen (I believe it will do) it could take sometime and also some side work and even probably a review of some routines, amount of water amount and kind of exercises, the food and need of a detox. At Studio Australia you will find the support and tools to achieve these goals. 

Looking forward to our seventh session 

Kindly,

Santiago 

Treatment 7

Session 7 has the sole attention to the neck and head.

C1 – Response to treatment

Hello to All,

Treatment Seven was the best! I left feeling happy- and I am happy with that, not willing to question why – just enjoying the nice “happy place.”

Santiago worked on the arms, shoulder, neck, lower portion of the face, and the inside of the mouth – good sessions. Maybe there will be one more of the remaining three treatments that the neck, shoulders, and head (cranium).

Thanks.

Read more about the final sessions 8 – 10 on the Rolfing Ten Series journey and find out how our clients evaluate the entire process of having their bodies structurally realigned over a period of seven weeks.

Reference:

https://www.rolf.org/ten_series.php