Whole-Body Integration

Rolfing® After Auto Accidents

Here's a nice Rolfing® article that discusses the use of Rolfing for pain relief after an auto accident. The article features my colleague Emily Gordon in Maryland, and talks about how three sessions of Rolfing are giving one of her clients relief from the constant pain he has been in since an auto accident some six years ago. I have also found this to be true with the many clients coming in to see me for Rolfing on auto and workers' compensation claims in the dozen-plus years I've been in practice  (first in Hawaii, now in Seattle). In most of the cases I've worked with, clients find that Rolfing® is what really gets them out of the woods, bringing relief that was not found through just chiropractic care, physical therapy, or massage – although these can be valuable components of a full treatment plan, as well as acupuncture.

When a client comes to my Rolfing practice after an auto accident, there are several things to consider. If the accident was recent, and the person is in significant pain, we have to see whether he responds best to direct Rolfing, or to indirect techniques that are very gentle. If the accident was particularly traumatic or shocking, or if the neck is highly guarded because of a whiplash, we may start with craniosacral work to drain some of the shock from the system. 

I also want to know how the person was hit, and how he was positioned at the time, as that - plus a visual analysis - tells me how the force vectors that entered the body may have impacted the myofascial, cranial, and organ systems. For example, if you were rear-ended while you were the driver, stopped at a traffic signal, with your seatbelt on and your right foot jammed on the brake, and your head turned to the right to say something to the person in the passenger seat, I know immediately that there may be a chain of compression up the right leg affecting the foot/ankle/knee/hip, and a whiplash effect with a right rotation in the musculature of the neck and torso as your body was propelled forward into and around the seatbelt. 

If a client has had many sessions of other treatment, including myofascial massage, it may be an indication that the cranial or visceral (organ) component of the accident was not addressed and will be the missing link. For example, whiplash can put strain around the suspensory ligaments of the pleura; in this case, even great myofascial work to the neck muscles will not bring a permanent fix until those ligaments are under less strain.

I'm passionate about helping people get out of suffering and back to their normal lives after auto and work accidents, and think that Rolfing® – combined with craniosacral and visceral work as needed – is the best form of manual therapy to deal with this intricate problem-solving. The silver lining to an auto accident is that insurance will usually fully cover the treatments if prescribed by a medical doctor or chiropractor. While some Rolfers™ will not bill your auto insurer or workers' compensation program directly, I have found that these agencies are usually easy to work with, and I am happy to do that so my clients have one less burden to deal with while they are recovering. 

Library of Rolfing® Articles

Do you want to read more about Rolfing® structural integration? In my links / blogroll, you will see the Ida P. Rolf Library. This is an online library of articles about Rolfing that is generously  maintained by Brazilian Rolfer Pedro Prado (one of my teachers - thanks, Pedro!).

The library includes articles from the three journals of the Rolf Institute (the name has changed over time: first it was the Bulletin of Structural Integration, then it was Rolf Lines, now it is Structural Integration: The Journal of the Rolf Institute, as well as other sources. Most of the articles are written by Rolfers or other structural integrators. There are even a few by me (and there will be more as Pedro updates with the most current issues of Structural Integration).

I highly recommend this site to Rolfers, structural integrators, bodyworks, and anyone curious about Rolfing.

Pelvic Pain

Pelvic pain is a challenging issue for many women - one that can be hard to speak about, and hard to find effective treatment for. It can involve pain in the pelvic musculature or genitals, or pain with intercourse. Flare-ups can cause discomfort with sitting and exercising as well.

I've worked with a small number of women with this condition and have found that multiple modalities are usually called for. I've gotten good results from Rolfing® techniques to balance the pelvic fascias and musculature, especially combined with nerve release techniques (another form of manual therapy). Sometimes visceral work to release strain patterns around the pelvic organs has helped, sometimes craniosacral balancing to the sacrum and SI joints. I usually get a sense of which techniques to start with through a postural assessment and good medical/injury history. For example, falls onto the tailbone can cause imbalances in musculature and fascia that travel through the pelvic floor.

Given that the matter is complex, and requires different approaches, one may need to see multiple practitioners. I also recommend osteopathic treatment, and physical therapy - particularly if one can find a PT specializing in this syndrome. 

What is important to note is that manual therapy techniques can make a difference in reducing pain and improving quality of life.

Plantar Fasciitis

Today I did a fascinating Rolfing® session on a client with plantar fasciitis. I applied some of the ideas on inflammed nerves that I've gleaned from Don Hazen, a Rolfer and chiropractor. As I understand it, Don believes that not just fascia but inflamed nerves are behind many postural issues. Anyway, rather than do deep fascial work on an area that was painful and felt inflamed, I felt for the "string" of the inflamed nerves in the foot and ankle and spoke to them gently with indirect techniques (indirect: work that follows the body's lead rather than being directive). The changes were profound – softening of tight tissue, reduced pain, and a softening of the taut nerves. My client was also a bodyworker and we were both thrilled and blown away that it could be so easy.