Rolfing® Press Coverage, Articles, and Research

Press Coverage of Rolfing

Rolfing on Oprah
  • Vogue Magazine: Vogue Magazine published an article, “Back In Style” by Heidi Julavits. "Like yoga, Rolfing is one of those practices that your body instantly tells you makes a lot of sense." March 2007. PDF.  
  • Rolfing on Oprah!: My instructor, Jon Martine, demonstrated Rolfing on the Oprah Winfrey Show. April 26, 2007.
  • Dr. Andrew Weil’s “Daily Tips” newsletter: “Daily Tips” featured “Four Reasons to Try Rolfing.” July 4, 2008.
  • Science Magazine: Science magazine published “Biomedical research: Cell Biology Meets Rolfing” by David Grimm, about the 2007 Fascial Research Congress. November 23, 2007. PDF.
  • "Rolfing: The Anti-Gravity Device” by Mike Papciak, published in Climbing Magazine. Gives a nice overview of Rolfing, and talks about why Rolfing is great for rock climbers.
  • ”I tried it: Rolfing Structural Integration” Healing Lifestyles Magazine, May/June 2008. Short article written by a former athlete who tries Rolfing to help reduce the effects of aging.
  • ”Deep Impact” by Linda Knittel. Published in Yoga Journal, July/August 2002. Detailed discussion of how yoga and Rolfing support each other.  PDF.
  • "A Rolfer Can Tune Your Body" by Claire Wachter. Includes interesting historical tidbits about Ida Rolf. Discusses how to play the piano and other instruments with greater comfort.
  • ”Spiraling Babies” by Ray Bishop, Certified Advanced Rolfer, published in Massage & Bodywork magazine.  PDF.  
  • Somatics Articles: Articles for clients and Rolfers.
  • Ida P. Rolf Library of Structural Integration: Articles for clients and Rolfers.

Research on Rolfing

Project: UCLA Department of Kinesiology; five year study conducted by Dr. Valerie Hunt and Dr. Wayne Massey; "A Study of Structural Integration from Neuromuscular, Energy Field and Emotional Approaches" completed in 1977. There were measurements before and after Rolfing of anxiety states, brain hemisphere activity, energy field photography, DC recordings of energy flow in electrical voltage readings, EMG recordings from sixteen separate muscles, electromyograms of neuromuscular patterning of energy, and electronic auric field study.

Result: This five-year study produced extensive evidence demonstrating the benefits of Rolfing, such as:

  • Greater physical skill
  • Emotional calmness; decrease in anxiety state
  • Improved social interaction
  • Feelings of well-being
  • Memory recall
  • Enhanced ability to access different states of consciousness
  • Increasing right hemisphere brain dominance when needed for right brain activity
  • Evidence of changes in ways of processing data and the nature of thought processes
  • Greater movement efficiency
  • More energy; less fatigue
  • Improved neuromuscular balance
  • Greater energy flow and balance distribution of energy

Project: J. Cottingham, M.S., S. Porges, Ph.D., and T. Lyon, M.D. studied the "Effects of Soft Tissue Mobilization (Rolfing Pelvic Lift) on Parasympathetic Tone in Two Age Groups" at the Frances Nelson Health Center, 1987. Parasympathetic tone was assessed by 1) quantifying the amplitude of the respiratory sinus arrhythmia from the heart rate pattern and 2) measuring heart rate.

Result: The pelvic lift increased the tone of the parasympathetic nervous system. This is usually associated with decreased levels of stress.

Project: Children's Project; three year pilot study in Philadelphia, PA conducted by a group of Rolfers led by Robert Toporek, 1978; monograph "The Promise of Rolfing Children" reported on this study published in 1981. Each child's photograph before Session 1 and after Session 10 and some two and three years later were shown. A summary of results gathered from interviewing the parents and Rolfer's comments documented the changes.

Result: This pilot study with children demonstrated that:
  • A dramatic improvement in the children's physical, psychological and behavioral patterns had occurred.
  • Consistently, parents reported the children had increased confidence, better verbal expression, more self-control and less destructive behavior.
  • Rolfing is an effective means to address conditions such as cerebral palsy or scoliosis.