Is Repetitive Strain Injury, otherwise known as RSI, causing pain in your forearms? Do you have numbness in the arms, tingling in the fingers, weakness in your hands? If your work or quality of life has been compromised, its time to try an effective approach. Your misaligned structure could be the causal factor contributing to these compression type ailments. If so, Structural Integration is for you.

If you have been diagnosed or think you might be suffering with any of these RSI’s, Structural Integration might be a complementary approach to your current treatment. Come in for a targeted 3-session series today.

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Tendonitis
• Medial Epicondylitis
• Lateral Epicondylitis
• Forearm Pain
• Ulnar Tunnel Syndrome (also called Cubital Tunnel Syndrome)
• DeQuervain’s Syndrome (thumb pain)
• Tennis Elbow
• Golfer’s Elbow
• Neck and Shoulder Pain
• Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

I wanted to repost this testimonial from a client. I was only able to work on her for 1 session because she was visiting her daughter in the city for a weekend, who I had taken through the 10 series. Anyway, she had had surgery on her right wrist to relieve her carpal tunnel syndrome and was scheduled to have another surgery on her left wrist. This is where I intervened. I relieved the compression in her hands, wrists, arms, shoulders and neck and balanced her pelvis throughout the hour long session. Surprisingly, she really enjoyed the pressure and had no discomfort. She felt great immediately. Her testimonial went something like this, “1 carpal tunnel surgery – $6000, 20% better. 1 SI session – $200 (edited for inflation), 95% better. 1 year later, 0 SI sessions, still 95% better.” Wow. I couldn’t believe it. And for now, no need for anymore surgery. These results happen but it’s hard to promise this great effect, but the power of Structural Integration if very real.

R. Buckminster Fuller brought about the notion of internal structural balance through tension and integrity. He called this ‘Tensegrity‘. This notion has now been observed down to the cellular level of the human body. The old school idea that cells are floating and bumping into each other in a connective tissue matrix (that is erroneously thought of as the bodies inert filler) is no more. Small integrins and laminar filaments attach through the cell walls down into the nucleus and ultimately to the genetic code of the cell. Through these tiny guy wires every cell is structurally sound and is also attached and in communication with every other. The entire body is hard wired. How does this news affect you and I?

The entire body is hard wired. How does this news affect you and I?

Here is a great site that goes in depth about the structure of tensegrity.

It allows us to explore how Rolf Structural Integration works. Organizing connective tissue fibers and cells on the macro level necessarily translates down the microscopic level through these fibers. Cells that are stretched thin by tight areas function differently. They divide. On the other side of this coin, cells that are slackened by imbalance and have zero stress on them die. We experience this as atrophy on the larger scale. The body needs to be balanced front to back, top to bottom, left to right and inside to outside for true spatial health to exist. All sides of each joint and its internal capsule must function properly for the cartilage to glide correctly. There should be no pain when there is balance. The body should be using the absolute minimum amount of energy to exist, and this in turn allows more potential energy for other functions – hopefully immune boosting and disease fighting systems. Exciting frontiers within Spatial Medicine, as Tom Myers states, are upon us and the news is very good.

In her 1963 study, “Project Breakthrough”, Ida Rolf found that children who had received Rolfing work exhibited better muscle tone, better alignment, and improved social responsiveness.

Dr. Valerie D. Hunt and Dr. Wayne W. Massey of the UCLA Department of Kinesiology completed a five-year controlled study in 1977, entitled, “A study of structural integration from neuromuscular, energy field and emotional approaches”. They found that subjects who had received Rolfing exhibited:

1.Smoother, larger, and less constrained extraneous movements
2.Greater movement efficiency and improved neuromuscular balance
3.More dynamic and energetic body movements, with less fatigue
4.A more erect carriage with less obvious strain to maintain held positions
5.Increased emotional calmness, a greater sense of well being, and decreased anxiety.

More recent research findings include the positive effects of Rolfing on the autonomic nervous system (published in The Journal of the American Physical Therapy Association, Mar. 1988) and benefits of Rolfing for chronic back pain (The Journal of Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy, Sept.1997).

Abstracts for many of these papers may be purchased directly from the Rolf Institute (800.530.8875).