Rolfing® views the body as an interconnected system. Practitioners aim to realign and balance the entire body, not just address isolated symptoms. This can lead to improved posture, movement efficiency, and overall well-being.

Rolfing involves a series of sessions designed for lasting changes in the body's structure. Clients often report sustained improvements in posture, pain reduction, and enhanced physical performance after completing the treatment series.

This improvement can continue without further treatments because the body’s structure adapts to how the body is being used, which makes the cost of sessions and the difficulty in finding a Rolfer® relatively low in the long run.

Ask the practitioners you are considering about their practices: how many clients do they see for maintenance? A really good one has very little maintenance work and will speak about the ongoing changes after a series of sessions.

By focusing on aligning the body with gravity, Rolfing® can lead to significant postural improvements and reduction in chronic pain, particularly in the back, neck, and shoulders.

Clients often experience a more natural, efficient gait and find themselves standing and moving with greater ease and less discomfort. Clients usually seek out a Certified Rolfer because they are in pain or have recurring injuries, but they find the benefits surprising and often life-changing.

Like many transformative processes, it is not possible to imagine what adds to life, it is only what can be subtracted, like pain, discomfort going away.

Rolfing sessions lead to greater body awareness and mindfulness, whether or not the Rolfer speaks about those as goals. Clients understand their movement patterns and emotional responses in greater detail, and begin to be able to direct them and find options instead of automatic reactions.

This can lead to a greater sense of body-mind connection and emotional release, though not all sensations and thoughts can be rationally explained.

Recent updates by the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute® have led to a development of "spectrum of touch" skills among practitioners, allowing them to adapt techniques based on tissue sensitivity and inflammation.

This reflects contemporary research on pain and the autonomic nervous system, moving beyond the rigid "recipe" of the past.

There is solid evidence supporting Rolfing®, backed by fascia research initiated by the Rolf Research Foundation and the later organization started to facilitate events, the Fascia Research Society.

This research has enhanced the understanding of fascia's role in the nervous system, body mechanics and pain, providing a scientific basis for the benefits observed in Rolfing® treatments as well anatomy, physiology, and all medical and biological subjects.

Rolfing® can be intense and sometimes painful. The deep tissue manipulation required to realign the body's structure can cause discomfort, which may not always be effectively communicated or adapted to by the practitioner. A client can and should always be able to ask for changes in the treatment.

Rolfing® typically requires multiple sessions, which can be expensive and time-consuming. However, it often results in long-term benefits compared to methods requiring ongoing maintenance.

Finding a qualified Rolfer can be challenging due to the specialized training required, limiting accessibility for those interested in trying Rolfing. Ask the RolfingCommunity for practitioners able to accommodate short-term stays!

Despite advancements in training and research, some practitioners still use outdated or pseudoscientific explanations, which can undermine the credibility of the practice despite its proven benefits. The notorious Wikipedia page is a good example.

Myofascial Release is generally considered gentler than Rolfing®, making it more suitable for individuals with low pain tolerance or those new to bodywork therapies.

Myofascial Release can be tailored to address specific areas of pain or dysfunction, beneficial for acute injuries, localized pain, or specific conditions like fibromyalgia.

There are many practitioners trained in Myofascial Release, making it more accessible than Rolfing. Its techniques are often integrated into other bodywork practices.

Many clients report immediate relief from pain and increased range of motion after Myofascial Release sessions, advantageous for those seeking quick results.

While Myofascial Release can provide immediate relief, the benefits may be short-lived without ongoing sessions, focusing more on symptom relief rather than long-term structural change. In the long run, this makes this modality very costly even though a single session can be significantly less expensive.

The effectiveness of Myofascial Release can vary significantly depending on the practitioner’s skill and experience, with no standardization in training and techniques.

Most certification programs still use pseudoscientific explanations, which can detract from the validity and safety of the practice. Some even encourage dangerous cathartic experiences.