Finding Practitioners like John Davis Rolfing

The John Davis Rolfing practice is a marriage of structural integration and chiropractics. Rolfing works on the soft tissues to stretch the non-cellular matrix that makes up the connective tissue called fascia. Fascia covers every muscle, bone and structure in the body. Rolfing breaks down the stiff fibers and allows them to stretch so that the body can come into balance with its center of gravity. Chiropractors work on the musculoskeletal system to help the body become balanced also. A combination of the two forms of manipulation, such as John Davis Rolfing and chiropractics, allows for complete alternative health care.

Many doctors and chiropractors include Rolfing in their practice because of the benefits for the client. Rolfing, as well as chiropractics is an alternative form of health care. Both Rolfers and chiropractors manipulate the body to create proper alignment. People report that John Davis Rolfing is painful at first touch; however the pain was replaced by a huge amount of energy.

The demand for Rolfers in the field of chiropractics has increased so much that insurance companies are coming on board to acknowledge the practice of Rolfing as an accepted mode of health care. Many practitioners, such as John Davis Rolfing, accept insurance such as Kaiser Permanente. Ask your insurance company if it covers Rolf treatments.

To find a Rolf practitioner in your area is easy; go to the Rolf Guild website and click on search for Rolfer. The directory will list the name and the contact information of the Rolfer. Once you have located one, just call or email them and ask about information about his/her practice. If you are interested in chiropractic therapy, such as with John Davis Rolfing, being included, just ask if he/she is also a chiropractor, or if there is a chiropractor on staff.

All Rolf practitioners operate on the fundamentals taught by the Rolfing founder, Ida P. Rolf. She taught that the body is like plastic, and it can change its shape. She taught that gravity changes the shape of the body due to the misalignment caused by the effects of gravity. Dr. Rolf taught that the connective tissue of the body could be manipulated to stretch to allow for the body to come into balance with its center of gravity. Dr. Rolf studied Yoga, osteopathy among other subjects to be able to help people. Her techniques are the same techniques used by all Rolf practitioners, including John Davis Rolfing.

Anyone looking for a Rolf professional that will meet your needs only needs to interview some professionals and ask questions. Ask how much the sessions cost, and if your insurance will cover it. Ask if it hurts to be Rolfed. Ask whatever questions that you feel you need an answer to. Then ask for testimonials from clients. Anecdotal evidence is often the deciding factor for many people. You can ask the practitioner’s clients the same questions you asked the Rolf professional. As with John Davis Rolfing can hurt, but most clients say it is a good kind of hurt. Most people admit to feeling much better and having much more energy than before they started Rolfing treatments.

What is Rolfing

Not everyone is familiar with Rolfing. If you heard the term for the first time, you might ask, “What is Rolfing?” Rolfing has only been practiced since the 1950s. A biochemist by the name of Dr. Ida Rolf developed a technique of manipulating the connective tissue of the body’s framework. If 10 people were to ask one who has been Rolfed, what is Rolfing, each person may have a slightly different understanding from the person he/she asked.

Commonalities to what is Rolfing are that the practitioner works to align the head, shoulders, torso, pelvis and extremities so that each part is in sync or in balance with the rest of the body and its center of gravity. The body can get out of balance because one or more parts are affected by the shortening of the connective fascia that holds all the muscles and their skeletal attachments together. What is Rolfing? It softens and breaks down the fibers so that all the muscles of the body can work in harmony and balance.

Someone with one hip higher than the other may ask “What is Rolfing going to do for me?” Over time the hip that is contracted may be able to be in alignment with the other hip, therefore allowing for a normal gait, and less back and hip pain. When one part of the body is out of balance, it can cause pain and in some cases malformations of the musculoskeletal system over time.

What is Rolfing? It can be painful, but in a good sort of way. Rolfing shouldn’t be uncomfortably painful, although you might feel some discomfort. If you do feel any real discomfort, let your practitioner know. He/she may not notice your facial expression when you have an “ouch,” so be sure to voice your discomfort. Many people report that it “hurts so good,” or “it feels so good when it quits hurting.” What is Rolfing? It is both relaxing and invigorating depending on the recipient.

What is Rolfing? It is a fairly slow process. There are usually a series of 10 visits; one each week. The visits are fairly long, lasting up to 1 and ¼ hours each. Once the treatment has been given each week, the client needs to work on keeping those muscles and connective tissue elastic, rather than letting them become stiff again with disuse. Exercise techniques and stretching exercises such as Yoga can help keep the body in balance until the next visit.

The practitioner may take photographs of the client prior to the first treatment and then afterward. More pictures may be taken at the end of the 10 week period to document the improvement that has taken place. What is Rolfing? It isn’t mandatory that the client finish the 10 week cycle of treatments, although it is encouraged. The client can stop at any time, and resume at any time. If the client is not satisfied with the practitioner, he/she can stop the treatments and find another Rolf practitioner without being financially bound to the previous practitioner. It is like changing doctors; if you find you don’t care for one, you can find another.