Rolfing® Research

Dr. Ida Rolf was studying fascia in the 1920's at the Rockefeller Institute, and Rolfing practitioners have been fascinated with the properties of the body's fascial web since the sixties. But, until a couple of decades ago, mainstream medicine viewed facia as little more than the stuffing surrounding all the really interesting parts (bones, muscles, and organs).

Fascia is now in vogue among the research and medical communities and studies are ongoing. Early research focused on basic science; What exactly is fascia? What is it made of? What are its properties? There is increasing interest in the role that fascia plays in musculoskeletal strain disorders such as low back pain and instability; postural strain patterns; fibromyalgia; pelvic pain; respiratory dysfunction; chronic stress injuries; wound healing; and trauma recovery/repair.

For the latest in structural integration and fascia research, visit:

• The Dr. Ida Rolf Institute Research Page - Summaries of the most recent publications on Rolfing SI research including studies on Low Back Pain, Fibromyalagia, and Cerebral Palsy.

• Rolf Research Foundation - The only nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting structural integration research and collaboration between research and clinical communities.

• Structural Integration Library Search for research published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Articles can be filtered by case series, case studies, clinical trials, reviews, historical, therapeutic mechanisms, overviews, and relevant keywords.