Services We Provide

• Rolfing Structural Integration
• Active Release Technique
• Clinical Nutrition

Rolfing Structural Integration

1. What is Rolfing and how is it different from other types of bodywork?

Rolfing is a type of deep bodywork developed by Dr. Ida Rolf which specifically targets correcting problems with the 'facial matrix' of the body. Fascia is the connective tissue of the body, which exists primarily as sheets, which surround all the muscles, tendons, nerves, organs and actually every cell of the body. Stresses in the fascia have far reaching implications for functioning in the body, but are particularly reflected in posture. The explicit intention of Rolfing is to realign the body to gravity. It is the only type of bodywork where postural changes will routinely be observable.

2. What is the function of fascia in the body and how does it become injured?

Fascia is connective tissue and is the adhesive tape of the body. It serves to support joints, hold muscles groups together, separate individual muscles and hold organs in place. It can become shortened, or attached to inappropriate structures. This results in distortions in posture. There is only one fascia in the body. Unlike the skeleton or muscular system which is composed of various discrete components. Therefore, stress in one part of the fascia can be distributed to remote areas of the body, much in the way a spider web is distorted when tension is put on one part of it.

Fascia can malfunction due to injury which causes shortening or gluing one fascial layer to the next. But fascia can also become distorted through inactivity. This is due to a class of cells called 'fibroblasts' that operate like microscopic spiders. It is their job to secrete microscopic fibrils of connective tissue wherever they are and glue everything to everything. In injury such as tears and cuts, this leads to healing, However, if a body part is held in the wrong position for too long, this can lead to a loss of function. This occurs when a leg is put in a cast, or when incorrect posture is held for too long.

All of this fascial constriction results in a loss of efficiency for the body and a distorted gravitational alignment. The centering process that one feels when one is correctly balanced is lost. Instead of feeling uplifted, one feels compressed. And all this adds to the sense of stress. Rolfing is the art and science of systematically correcting these problems. People who have been through the 10 initial Rolfing session often report having more 'room in their bodies', or feel more free.

3. How long does Rolfing take?

Rolfing was originally designed by Ida Rolf to be executed in 10 one-hour sessions. Each session focuses on a particular part of the body, in a particular order, so the body is systematically worked through.

4. Does it ever take more than 10 sessions?

Some Rolfers work more that 10 hours on the original series. However, in most cases, 10 hours will be sufficient to put the body back in an improved mode of functioning.

5. What happens after the first 10 hours?

Some people choose to stop their Rolfing with that. Others find it has been beneficial and want more, or may need more following an illness, period of stress, or injury. I have never known a Rolfer who has only had 10 sessions, so it is a reasonable deduction that there is further benefit to continuing treatment at a future date, if you wish.

6. What conditions does Rolfing help?

Rolfing is primarily directed at improving function and structural alignment, and not at therapy, per say. On the other hand, many problems are due to poor structural alignment. As a rule, to the extent that the problem is due to poor biomechanical function and structure, it will be helped or even corrected. In some cases where the problem is due to fascial adhesions, Rolfing may be the most expedient form of treatment.

7. Does it hurt?

Rolfing has been evolving for 30 years. In Ida Rolf's day it was often very painful. Practitioners have found that the same results could be achieved without the same intensity of pressure. So, the answer is generally, no. But people have a large variation in sensitivity and what may feel good to one person may be very uncomfortable to the next. People sometimes comment that the same motion on one side of the body feels good but hurts on the other. In general, the better the circulation and use of the body, the better Rolfing will feel. A Rolfer can also gauge the amount of pressure to the tolerance level of the client.

8. Where can I learn more about Rolfing?

You can send an e-mail to Dr. Janda at DrHealth@wobnow.com . Or you can contact the Rolf Institute in Boulder ,Colorado at RolfInst@aol.com.

9. Is Rolfing permanent?

Generally, yes. But you need to understand that the body itself is constantly changing. Form follows function. If you abuse the body it will develop or redevelop problems. But Rolfing gives you a new start, and if you use it correctly it should serve you well. In some cases, people have continued to improve following the 10 sessions, even without further Rolfing.

10. How much does it cost?

Dr. Janda charges $125 per session. People who wish to prepay the whole series may receive a discount of $100.

Active Release Technique

Active Release Technique represents a significant leap forward for Chiropractic profession, and in fact, the entire field of manual medicine. We all owe our gratitude to Dr. Michael Leahy, its developer, who has spent at least 15 years to date researching the details of this approach. This is the only form of manual medicine granted a patent by the US Patent Office. It comprises, to date, a compendium of over a thousand anatomically precise moves to resolve soft tissue problems. ART achieves the impossible end of offering deep muscle work that actually feels good and is the most therapeutic of any in its field. Practitioners of this technique must be certified by Dr. Leahy to insure quality and precision in its application. Come and give this a try if you suffer from soft tissue pains. Do this especially if you are an athlete and want to function at your best.

Clinical Nutrition

Current medical thinking presumes that the superior way of prompting health in the body is to introduce drugs as a corrective measure. While there are times that this is the best, and sometimes only way, to correct problems, it is worth keeping in mind that drugs are, by definition, substances that do not belong in the body. Any substance that normally belongs in the body cannot be patented and thus reduces profit. Because of the profit motive, the American public has been educated to consume drugs as the treatment of choice. The problem with drugs is that they usually have side effects, sometimes severe. Often secondary drugs are given to reduce the side effects of the first drug. This is presented as being a scientific approach to healing. In fact, while there is considerable science for individual drugs, there is almost no science for combinations of drugs, which is the way they are normally given. Also, the science of drugs is statistical in nature and must be adapted to an individual by direct observation of the patient. This drug philosophy, while pragmatic at times, is fundamentally flawed because it interferes with the natural chemical organization in the body. It has been estimated by the LA Times and Ralph Nader that at least 100,000 or more patients die from medical care each year.

The effects of nutrition are so far reaching that they affect every cell in the human body. Unlike drugs, nutrition is the stuff the body is made of. Many health problems are created by deficiencies of nutrients, poor combinations of nutrients leading to inappropriate hormone release, excesses of nutrients and toxicities. While it is possible to produce disease from inappropriate nutritional use, if presented to the body properly it only results in increased health. Nutrition is the royal road to health. It also offers considerable hope for extending life, or at least, living to old age in great heath and vitality. Be wise and learn about this field. It will serve you well.

The Chiropractic field has always been involved with nutrition. As well it should, as Chiropractic is a branch of Naturopathy, the art and science of healing the body with natural means. While Chiropractors use the musculoskeletal system as a point of entry into health, virtually all health problems are reflected in the musculoskeletal system in some way. For this reason a Chiropractor can not reasonably ignore nutrition and do his job well. Chiropractic uses the same diagnostic techniques as a Nutritionist or Naturopath, but in addition has made a monumental contribution in the field of Applied Kinesiology, or AK for short. At his point AK is more art than science, but offers an individual approach health information, unlike the Drug approach which is statistical in nature. Muscle testing provides information on what is currently happening (see the essay on AK on this site). This is revolutionary and enormously practical for solving clinical disturbances. By nurturing metabolic pathways back into natural form through nutrition supplementation, proper diet and detoxification, much healing will naturally occur.

On of the wonderful things your Chiropractor can do for you is provide feedback and information on how your body is being stressed and failing to adapt. Rather than waiting for disease, this approach will ‘top off’ your heath before it leads to a health breakdown.

Robert Janda, M.A., D.C.