Rolfing

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Rolfing is a trademarked term for a method of manual bodywork that was originally called structural integration . It should act on the fascia network and align the body to the ideal of the vertical line in gravity.

Development and theory

The method was developed in the 1950s by the American biochemist Ida Rolf (1896–1979) and was initially called Structural Integration . Today there are several schools that build on this work. Rolfing is the brand of structural integration that is taught at Ida Rolf's original school, the Rolf Institute in Boulder / USA and its subsidiary institutes.

Ida Rolf assumed that the body needs less energy to straighten up the closer its individual sections are to the ideal of a vertical line. In her opinion, the connective tissue - especially the fascia  - play a central role in posture. In her book Rolfing and Physical Reality , she wrote: “ Fascia is the organ of posture. Nobody ever says this; all the talk is about muscles. Yet this is a very important concept, and because this is so important, we as Rolfers must understand both the anatomy and physiology, but especially the anatomy of fascia. "(German:" The fasciae are the organ of posture. Nobody ever mentions this, everyone only talks about muscles. Nevertheless, this is a very important concept, and because it is so important, we as Rolfer must have knowledge of anatomy and physiology, but especially with regard to the anatomy of the fascia. ")

According to their theory, the body adapts to long-term stress in everyday life or as a result of accidents and injuries with a change in the fascia in the form of a reinforcement. Such reinforcements and hardening can fix acquired bad posture and limit mobility.

Ida Rolf saw the manual treatment of the fascia that she developed as the key to sustainable improvement in posture.

application areas

Rolfing is not primarily aimed at treating medical problems. It is a process that aims to realign the body in gravity. Rolfer apply slow pressure to the connective tissue to loosen hardening and to balance tension in the fascia network. Depending on the body region and depth, fingertips, knuckles, palms or elbows are used. Movement elements, sensory factors of perception and orientation in gravity, as well as psychosocial factors are also included.

The procedure is often used in the field of health care. The main focus here is on optimizing posture and more freedom of movement. It can be used to treat myofascial dysfunctions , chronic pain conditions such as back pain, as well as poor posture and structural changes as a result of injuries and accidents.

Rolfing is often offered in a series of ten consecutive sessions lasting 50 to 90 minutes, which are spread over an average of three months. During each session, the Rolfer analyzes the posture and structure while standing and walking. This is followed by manual treatment on the couch, which can also be followed by treatment elements while sitting, standing or moving. Optimization of everyday positions and the development of new, economical movement options complement the sessions.

Contraindications

Contraindications include acute inflammatory diseases, aneurysms , acute phlebitis and not fully healed wounds. Particular caution is required with osteoporosis , pregnancy, cancer, arteriosclerosis , mental illness and long-term use of cortisone. Further contraindications are bony causes of a lack of movement, inflammatory rheumatism, degenerative muscle diseases and recent trauma as well as acute herniated discs and severe heart diseases.

There can also be significant complications with implants . In 1997, Kerr described the case of a woman who, due to an occlusion of the ureter through kidney stones, had a so-called stent implanted in the urinary tract to ensure its patency. After the patient had undergone Rolfing therapy, she experienced severe pain. It turned out that the stent had slipped from the exercises.

criticism

There are so far only a few reliable data on the effectiveness of rolfing. A clinical study with chronic back pain patients showed a reduction in their everyday limitations. Other effects attributed to Rolfing have so far only been documented in experience reports or smaller clinical studies that are not sufficiently meaningful.

In August 2014, the AOK wrote about Rolfing: “So far, the method has failed to provide scientific evidence that it can actually correct postural damage permanently or even know how to solve mental ailments. The hypothesis that an improvement in posture or a change in the tension in the body-wide connective tissue network contributes to an improvement in physical complaints is also unproven. "

The Barmer GEK stated: "The Rolfing treatment is not a recognized remedy within the meaning of the Therapeutic Products Directive, which can be prescribed as part of contract medical care and provided by approved physiotherapists at the expense of statutory health insurance."

Reimbursement by health insurance companies

Due to the lack of evidence of effectiveness, the costs for Rolfing treatments are paid by the statutory health insurance companies in Germany and by the Austrian regional health insurance companies i. d. Usually not adopted: Rolfing is also not listed in the so-called Hufeland directory, a list of recognized naturopathic treatments that is often used as a basis by private health insurance companies. In Austria, some private supplementary insurances reimburse part of the treatment costs. In Switzerland, Rolfing is a recognized body therapy method of complementary medicine and registered as a natural healing process. The supplementary insurance of most health insurances covers a large part of the treatment costs.

literature

Web links

  • European Rolfing Association website

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i cf. Compendium of Complementary Medicine. Co'med Verlag, 2011, ISBN 978-3-934672-47-5 , pp. 234-240.
  2. ↑ About Ida Rolf
  3. ^ Ida Rolf: Rolfing and Physical Reality. Inner Traditions / Bear & Co, 1990, ISBN 0-89281-380-6 , pp. 123/124.
  4. ^ German translation by Theo Kirdorf and Hildegard Höhr: Rolfing at a Glance. Junfermann, 1993, ISBN 3-87387-107-6 .
  5. ↑ berlinrolfing.de press reviews, Orthopädie und Rheuma magazine , 3/2001
  6. ↑ diepresse.com
  7. ↑ HD Kerr: Ureteral stent displacement associated with deep massage. In: WMJ. 96, 1997, pp. 57-58, PMID 9433179 .
  8. ↑ Jacobson, Eric E. et al. "Structural Integration as an Adjunct to Outpatient Rehabilitation for Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain: A Randomized Pilot Clinical Trial." Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2015, Article ID 813418 (2015) doi: 10.1155 / 2015/813418
  9. ↑ a b Information from the AOK on Rolfing, August 2014
  10. ↑ a b Barmer GEK
  11. ↑ Information from the AOK on Rolfing 2009 ( Memento from October 2, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
  12. ↑ diepresse.com
  13. ↑ Hufeland directory of recognized natural healing methods
  14. ↑ pkv-private-krankenversicherung.net
  15. ↑ asca.ch
  16. ↑ visana.ch
  17. ↑ emr.ch