fbpx
  • Subscribe & Support
  • Print Edition
    • Get Home Delivery
    • Read ePaper Online
    • Newsstand Locations
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Submit Your Event
    • Customer Support
    • Submit A News Tip
    • Send Letter to the Editor
    • Where’s My Paper?
  • Our Newsletters
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Free HV1 Trial
Hudson Valley One
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s UP
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Subscribe to the What’s UP newsletter
  • Opinion
    • Letters
    • Columns
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Log Out
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s UP
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Subscribe to the What’s UP newsletter
  • Opinion
    • Letters
    • Columns
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Log Out
No Result
View All Result
Hudson Valley One
No Result
View All Result

Somatic bodywork

by Jennifer Brizzi
April 1, 2016
in Health
0
"Fascia land" by Beth Scupham
“Fascia land” by Beth Scupham

Several therapeutic movement-based treatments work with massage, or separate from it, to improve the body’s alignment, and through that, other physical complaints from bad posture to pain. Rolfing, Feldenkrais and the Alexander Technique have that in common, but differing approaches to getting there. Actors, musicians, computer users, athletes — both professional and recreational, and those of us whose bodies are changing as we age, have all claimed to get relief from these approaches.
Some massage therapists study them to supplement the health benefits of massage with the tools for patients to help themselves, on or off the massage table, including exercises and increasing mind-body awareness.
Repetitive movements, say, like that of a cello player, hunching over a computer, holding the body in an awkward positions due to laziness, habit, stress, emotional blockage or other psychological issues, all can contribute to pain, discomfort and inefficiency of the body. Proponents and practitioners of these therapies make claims of good health through improved behavior of the muscles and muscle systems, leading to better posture and more balanced body alignment, less discomfort and pain and reduced mental stress. The patient is guided, through hands-on body work and/or exercise instruction, to go beyond being just a passive recipient and re-think old movement habits, making changes in the way they carry themselves and move that will lead to looking and feeling better. Some people claim that their chronic pain fades, their hunched back straightens, and that others tell them they look taller and slimmer or more graceful and confident.
Rolfing was founded by Dr. Ida Rolf, a physiologist and biochemist in early 20th century New York City. Her approach used hands-on, deep tissue manipulation of muscles to reposition tissues in order to improve postural misalignments and sagging caused by pent-up emotions. Her technique separates opposing pairs of muscle fibers, which take turns contracting, and was originally called Postural Release, then Structural Integration, and finally Rolfing. Done as a “recipe” of ten sessions, it is mostly hands-on, although exercises are also involved, like arcing and pelvic tilts. Both passive and active movement retraining are used with the goal of creating a vertically aligned body that will stand up better to the forces of gravity.
Some have considered Rolfing more painful than other modalities of bodywork and others say much less so than it used to be. Many claim relief of stress, pain, headache and improved balance and flexibility. Certified Rolfers can be found at www.rolf.org/find.

Page 1 of 3
123Next
Tags: healthy hudson valleyMind & Spirit
Join the family! Grab a free month of HV1 from the folks who have brought you substantive local news since 1972. We made it 50 years thanks to support from readers like you. Help us keep real journalism alive.
- Geddy Sveikauskas, Publisher

Jennifer Brizzi

Related Posts

Our last hike
Health

Our last hike

May 11, 2025
Mold problems?
Health

Mold problems?

May 11, 2025
Mind, body and soul work
Health

Mind, body and soul work

May 11, 2025
Sing your way to health
Health

Sing your way to health

May 11, 2025
Community pharmacies must do more than dispense pills
Health

Community pharmacies must do more than dispense pills

May 8, 2025
Ulster County launches therapy dog program for 911 dispatchers
Community

Ulster County launches therapy dog program for 911 dispatchers

April 21, 2025
Next Post

Kids’ Almanac (May 22-29)

Weather

Kingston, NY
70°
Partly Cloudy
5:19 am8:30 pm EDT
Feels like: 70°F
Wind: 1mph ENE
Humidity: 81%
Pressure: 29.96"Hg
UV index: 2
SatSunMon
73°F / 55°F
75°F / 59°F
73°F / 59°F
powered by Weather Atlas

Subscribe

Independent. Local. Substantive. Subscribe now.

  • Subscribe & Support
  • Print Edition
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Contact
  • Our Newsletters
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Free HV1 Trial

© 2022 Ulster Publishing

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Art
    • Books
    • Kids
    • Lifestyle & Wellness
    • Food & Drink
    • Music
    • Nature
    • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Subscribe & Support
  • Contact Us
    • Customer Support
    • Advertise
    • Submit A News Tip
  • Print Edition
    • Read ePaper Online
    • Newsstand Locations
    • Where’s My Paper
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Log In
  • Free HV1 Trial
  • Subscribe to Our Newsletters
    • Hey Kingston
    • New Paltz Times
    • Woodstock Times
    • Week in Review

© 2022 Ulster Publishing