Remember watching a slinky roll itself down the stairs? It was one continuous metal coil that effortlessly flowed with ease, grace and symmetry, poetry in motion. We are actually designed with that sort of flow and natural movement. The injuries, accidents and traumas of life can either abruptly or over time create abberated patterns, taking us out of our rhythmic movement and proper body function.
Everyday actions like putting on socks without pain or comfortably sitting at a desk for work or at a table to eat a meal, cease to exist for so many people. They suffer the physical limitations that chronic stiffness and pain can cause. My Rolfing® practice over these last 39 years has been devoted to helping people get back their freedom of movement and joy of everyday activities with ease and fluidity.
People can easily fall out of the balance that is our natural state. That slip on the ice last winter resulting in a hip that doesn’t move well anymore. That fender-bender car accident that a couple of weeks or months later has you turn your entire torso instead of just turning your head. Or that life-saving surgery that leaves us with a stiff back and limited movement.
Our joints are designed with a certain level of horizontality for correct bio-mechanical usage. Many times, tennis elbow (tendonitis) is the result of the shoulder being too tight, not fully functioning so that the elbow is asked to do more motion than it was actually designed to do. That strain pattern begins to put wear on joints and creates a pattern of pain and stiffness.
When I was growing up, my dad had a “bad back”. When his back would “go out” he was in bed for days not moving and sucking down pain killers and muscle relaxants. People back then were told to wait out the pain and lay low. What we know now is that movement creates the ease that we need to overcome the stress and strain of the spasm. What we need is circulation which brings that healing blood flow to the affected area.
We all know people who have had hip replacement surgery, they are up later that day, walking a bit, moving as much as they are able. As they progress, the major rehab is “walk, walk, walk”. Movement is key for a body to get strong and remain strong. Unfortunately, we live in a culture that rewards long hours at a desk and computers. We are all guilty of binge-watching or letting kids play endless hours of video games. We get less sleep, less exercise and have become more and more sedentary. We seem to lack the balance that keeps us happy and healthy.
In my practice as a Rolfer, I work with people who are wanting to restore the natural movement that they once had after an injury, trauma or accident. That is what Rolfing® is all about. Over the years, I have had the honor and privilege of working with scores of people who have done just that…they got their “slinky” back!
Take Rob. He is a healthy, strong working man who loves to golf. I met him several years ago when he got tired of his back acting up a few times a year. It would feel somewhat weak at first, then would go into painful spasms that would side-line him for some time. Then came the “wait it out” phase, when he was no longer in pain, but was not able to swing his club or sit for long since his back was still not right. This was a cycle from year to year.
Rob got Rolfed…the full ten sessions over a five-month period. We found it was not his back that was the problem, it was his psoas, a deep abdominal muscle that directly connects the spine to the upper leg. When one side of the psoas becomes tight, it yanks the entire body out of balance. All the back work and massage would not clear up the problem since it was internal. There was a deep twist that only “showed up” in his back, but was not the cause of the problem.
I see Rob on occasion if something feels out of whack for him. He now knows the signs of imbalance and is in-tune with the issue. He exercises several times a week, takes great care of himself and knows he can come in for a session or two when he is aware of those issues surfacing.
For more information on Rolfing® or to get your copy of “6 Easy Bed Stretches” that guide you to start your day with movement while still in bed, visit: www.SharonSklarRolfing.com.
Sharon Sklar is in her 39th year of private practice as a Certified Advanced Rolfer. State licensed and the only Rolfer in Central CT, Sharon works with direct manipulation of the soft tissue of the body and movement re-education over a ten-session series to help her clients feel freer, get more balanced and reduce chronic pain. Visit her website: www.SharonSklarRolfing.com and read the several testimonials from years of satisfied clients.
Call 860.561.4337 for more info or to schedule a consultation. Inquiries are encouraged. Feel free. Move well. Get Rolfed!