In Structural Integration, we expect to give a cycle of ten sessions. There is a reason for this. We are not dealing with local problems. We are not dealing with the kind of thing that you can say, “Well, I fixed that, that’s all.” We are dealing with an intent to make a body more secure, more adequate within the field of gravity. This requires that muscles be balanced, and need to be balanced around a vertical line. And, when I talk about balancing muscles, I’m talking about balancing the right side against the left side. About balancing the front of the body against the back of the body, and finally, about balancing the innermost muscles against the outermost, the inside against the outside, this is the most important of those balances, and we start from the outside working in, and it takes us ten hours before we can get to the place where we can really balance the outside against the inside.” —Ida P. Rolf, Ph.D.
For those unfamiliar with Structural Integration, Structural Integration is a 10 session systematic process of deep bodywork designed by Dr. Ida P. Rolf that improves the Structural and Functional abilities of the human body in its relationship to the gravitational field. Through the systematic approach of reorganizing major joints, and body segments, while releasing the chronically held tension and torsion patterns we are able to achieve a rapid change in structural mechanics and correction of chronic musculoskeletal pain or dysfunction. Athletes perform better while stress is significantly reduced. Postural balance and flexibility are improved with each session. Professional athletes, dancers, and performance artists throughout the world have successfully utilized CORE Structural Integration. Business and professional leaders have found that the beneficial results have improved their focus and attention, their vitality, and their creative abilities. CORE Structural Bodywork can significantly balance the emotional and cognitive abilities of anyone who completes the 10-session series. In preceding articles that explain the ten-session series, you have seen how Structural Integration can benefit the general population by empowering the body to work in the way it was intended through aligning each body part to its correct place and function. Now it is time to take a look at how these benefits can apply to the growing statistic of 1 in 5 people who live with chronic pain.
“When a body is in pain or discomfort, whether physical or emotional, the unconscious response is to tighten and shorten in an effort to “get away” from the pain. Our work focuses on lengthening and balancing the body in order for the tightened tissue to have some place to go upon release.”
— Ida Rolf
We all experience physical pain. In its normal state, pain is a healthy message that something is wrong with our body. Pain is typically a short-lived response to some stimulus. These stimuli may include an injury (such as a sprained wrist), a disease or infection (such as arthritis or an ingrown toenail), a traumatic intrusion (ranging from the major, such as surgery, to the minor, such as cutting your finger while chopping tomatoes in the kitchen), or even the most natural of body functions (such as giving birth to a baby)
“As a doctor I find myself standing during procedures for 4 to 6 hours daily. At the end of the day, I am often exhausted, sore, and sometimes unable to sleep comfortably. Joe’s therapy allows me to recover faster and sleep better so I can continue to endure my long days at work.” Sassan Pazirandeh, MD
As a cautionary physical response, pain is a good thing. But when pain continues for an extended period of time to the point that it interferes with your regular activities and comfort, it becomes chronic pain.
“The gospel according to osteopaths is to try to go to the center to get to the cause and change it. The gospel according to Rolf is that you can’t get to the center to change it until you work with the outside. The body is like an onion. To get to the center without injury you must peel it layer by layer” Ida P. Rolf
Defined as pain that lasts beyond what would normally be expected for a given injury or disease, or for more than six months, chronic pain comes in varying degrees and, whether sporadic or ongoing, can be debilitating. Its negative impacts are widespread:
- It can affect sleep patterns, resulting in a vicious cycle of insomnia and fatigue.
- It can decrease appetite in response to physical discomfort, or increase appetite in response to the resultant stress.
- It can interfere with the brain’s chemistry and natural analgesics, sometimes resulting in dependence on prescription pain medications.
- It can wreak havoc on one’s emotions, resulting in anger, sadness, anxiety, and stress. Depression is a common result of chronic pain.
- It can impact your finances, due to absenteeism, distraction on the job, or decreased productivity.
- It can impact life’s pleasures by curtailing social activities and taking the passion out of hobbies and favorite pastimes
- It can impact one’s entire family as they try to cope with the many ways that chronic pain affects the sufferer
“The Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy recently cited that patients with chronic low back pain may respond better and sustain longer improvements when treated with alternative treatment protocols like Structural Integration.”
Common sites of chronic pain include the back, neck, shoulder, and head. Whatever the source of the chronic pain, its impact on the rest of the body is tremendous as other body parts try to compensate for the pain-site’s inability to function correctly. Image When an injury of some sort has taken place in the body, the vibration of this injury is taken up by the whole structure in a series of compensations and adaptations to limit the site of pain. These stressors that are arriving at any bony junction are manifestations of distal soft tissue and visceral strains. Typically, what I often see in my practice is what I term the ‘end point’ or ‘end chain’ of pain, this is where the structure cannot adapt to the strain or torsion pattern. An example is a client will present with a chronic shoulder injury, however as we progress through the 10 session series and begin releasing and unwinding tension and torsion patterns in places far away from the shoulder such as the base of the feet, relief begins to arrive. Restoration of the normal mobility ultimately rests on the establishment of system wide support and adaptability. This means that healing is a system wide event and local problems are not local. This is the missing link in many of the myriad of healing approaches out there available to the public, which many people endlessly try without success and frustration, offering temporary relief at best with little or no success. The lack of success in these modalities lies in the fact that once again they are chasing the ‘symptom’ instead of addressing the origin of the problem causing the chronic pain. Many have relied on prescription drugs, over-the-counter remedies, surgeries, and procedures. They’ve tried relaxation, counseling, and biofeedback. They’ve tried massage, acupuncture, and chiropractic approaches. In desperation, many have even tried remedies that may seem less than sensible, sound, or wise – all in an effort to relieve themselves of chronic pain and its negative effects. The real skill as a Structural Integration practitioner I’ve found is keeping the big view while attending to local events. Stated quite simply understanding that the presenting “symptom” has a context. It is the whole human being. Just a quick summary Structural Integration addresses chronic pain at its origin, providing a corrective remedy rather than a temporary ‘band-aid’ approach to treatment.
“I am dealing with problems in the body where there is never just one cause. I’d like you to have more reality on the circular processes that do not act in the body, but that are the body. The body process is not linear, it is circular; always, it is circular. One thing goes awry, and its effects go on and on and on and on. A body is a web, connecting everything with everything else.”
Ida P. Rolf, Ph.D.
“The 10 sessions of Structural Integration has helped me tremendously after I injured my back. I feel better than I did before my motorcycle accident. Thank you so much for showing me a new way to use my body. I learned so much in our time together. Your encouragement and knowledge are very motivating. Thank you! “
Suzanne Chartier
Many treatments work well in conjunction with SI, so you can feel free to continue with them while receiving SI therapy. For instance, massage can be a wonderful way to relax your body and increase your sense of well-being. A conventional doctor can address specific medical concerns and prescribe medication or suggest procedures that may indeed be advisable. A chiropractor can enhance the manner in which your joints function by moving bones into their appropriate places. A counselor can help you deal with the emotional barrage surrounding chronic pain. All of these approaches can be valuable components of your ongoing health maintenance program, and their efficacy will only be enhanced and supported by the work that I do.
If you or someone you know has been suffering from chronic pain, now is the time to take your health back. Enjoy the benefits of the most advanced form of Structural Integration offered at this time.
“Joe, I am a firm believer in Structural Integration and the work you do. The ten sessions straightened and aligned my body resulting in less aches and pains due to years of nagging injuries and bad posture. After only a few visits you relieved the nagging ache in my lower back and hip that I lived with for years. I thought aches and pains were part of getting older but you explained what the problem was and how to correct it I have and do highly recommend the 10 sessions and your services to anyone.” Thank you,
Peter Maher
