Structural Integration Archives - Page 5 of 5 - Lyons Institute - online home study courses in Craniosacral Therapy, Structural Integration, Rolfing, Equine Massage and Equine Craniosacral

Why So Many Hip Replacements?

I have been asked recently in one of my massage continuing education classes if I have many clients who have had a hip replacement. I answered plenty, and some with both hips replaced. I marvel at our trauma medicine and what it has been able to accomplish in the past 100 years!

The illiofemoral joint is a deeply cupped ball and socket joint with very strong muscles and ligaments attached to it. Consequently, many of the impacts and pulls that are placed upon can create pain and dysfunction Dr. Ida Rolf, the founder of Structural Integration commonly known as Rolfing, believed that the hip joint was the greatest determining factor in postural symmetry.

For any massage therapist who is pursuing insights in the hip and lower back pain in a massage continuing equation courses, they should explore methodologies and approaches that bring balance into the joint because of the long term wear and tear that usually leads to the necessity of a replacement. Often times when I ask my clients if there was anything that precipitated their painful condition that necessitated the surgery, there was no determining factor that could be addressed that could be considered responsible for the replacement…only conjecture. So, its extremely important for the therapist to begin to educate their clients to the necessity of focused work in the hip as a preventative measure. [Read more…]

The Journey of Compassion: Raising the Bar on Your Skill Level.

In the beginning of my journey as a Rolfer, I was hoping to develop “special “ abilities that I had heard were often displayed by practitioner’s of the healing arts. The Chinese Chi Gung folks come to mind as well as Don Juan and Don Genaro from Castaneda’s books on the Shamans of Mexico that I read in his books in my late teens and early twenties until I lost his drift. I won’t bore you with my escapades into the different modalities that populate the realm of consciousness expanding techniques, just know they are plentiful. In the beginning of my training at the Rolf Institute, Dr. Rolf had left a few crumbs on the trail that might have been viewed as cockeyed, to the “untrained” eye. I remember vividly the burning of epsom salt in bowl for “clearing the air” in the room after performing bodywork sessions at the Rolf Institute during my training which I had used in a bath, after being tossed and thumped by the horses I was sharing space with. Yet, the burning of the epsom was considered valid then in 1989, I don’t know if its still being practiced in those hallowed halls, I only assume that some may still hold her beliefs as truth. I also remember her recommending washing my hands and lower arms with cold water using a particular mantra like vowel to clear the energy after each session according to the wisdom passed down buy our founder. Rarely do I do that, but I do catch myself occasionally following her advice, as if somehow she is mysteriously looking over my shoulder in the bathroom while I perform that ritual, reminding me of that important tradition to remove unwanted energy that I may have picked up during the session.

What I have learned, during my years of practice that seems to work for our clients, is the practice of presence, non-judgement, authenticity, and being in our own bodies fully. This allows us to hold the space for the transformation/healing that unfolds when we touch and hold the space for our clients evolutionary process, or something as simple as changing their pain paradigm. If you are grateful for them and can be compassionate with their suffering, the room fills with an energy that inexplicably assists in the the “healing” that transpires. Can I prove it, don’t even care too! Can one separate the massage practitioner’s focus from the outcome of the work? There is something that happens when the two entities (therapist and client) merge where magic manifests. All of us who have been at this for awhile can testify to the difference in resonance that we share with some of our clients. Not every session is remotely the same. And outcomes are often wildly different with the same client between other practitioners. Why is that? I believe its the holding of a resonate field and the state of attention that Rolfers, Cranial Sacral and massage therapists all hold and project. [Read more…]

Practice to Perfection

Its approaching the end of my 26th year of practice and all I can say is “where did the time go”! Plenty of it was spent hanging out riding the craniosacral wave and navigating the fascial web as Rolfer. It’s hard to believe how quickly my days have flown since the first days at the Rolf Institute.

Pain has been the motivating factor that brings most people to my table, and I have created a wonderful lifestyle helping to free people from their suffering. I have also learned how important it is for my clients to have exercises to keep their structure balanced, so that they can keep a fluid alignment. If they do the exercises at home, very often that is all that is needed for them to stay comfortable in their bodies, despite the unnatural conditions we are subjecting ourselves to on a daily basis. I am also taking a larger lead in recommending supplementation to assist my clients on their journey. Inflammation challenges the system constantly, and the associated pain that often accompanies unchecked inflammation, makes it difficult for us to be as effective with our manual skills, because of the patients inability to “hold” the work. I highly recommend that other therapists look upon inflammation as as source to be reckoned with in the repair mechanism that we stimulate. A well thought out, scientifically proven course of anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatories like fish oils and tocotrienols, turmeric, cardamom, as well nitric oxide precursors, all are valuable in bringing balance back into our patients bodies. [Read more…]

Repetitive Stress and Carpal Tunnel

Carpal tunnel syndrome has been a major issue that I have been dealing with for 26 years. And due to our excessive “wired” lifestyle, I believe the condition is becoming more prevalent.True carpal tunnel is a condition where you have a compressive peripheral neuropathy of the median nerve. Compression of the median nerve causes numbness, burning, and tingling of the first three fingers. The ability of the hand to grasp things is often impaired as well. I had a dentist in my practice who was scheduled for bilateral carpal tunnel surgery because of his inability to hold his tools safely. After nine sessions and two more for good measure, he was no longer afflicted by this debilitating syndrome. I told him the value of coming in on a monthly basis to keep himself “running smoothly” but alas, he didn’t and two years later was afflicted yet again. I had told him it would only cost him the same amount for my services as a 20 minute tooth filling. It seemed like a value he could certainly afford but, the old adage of “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” falls mostly on deaf ears these days! [Read more…]

Challenges of Lower Leg Pain

There are a lot of syndromes that are brought to the office that have to do with the feet and the pelvis. Many clients come to visit with painful conditions of the feet and lower legs. Our intention is to create a base of support for the pelvis from below. I have done thousands of sessions on plantar fasciitis and other problems of the lower leg and feet. When treating this, we want to get as much horizontal angles in the pelvis as we can by putting order into the ankles. Look at the transverse arch, the ankles, knees and the angle of the calcaneus to the floor. You might ask yourself this question, “Does the foot belong to the body? Is there separation of the seal from the forefront? And from the clients perspective, what caused this pain and what can be done about it?” So, its work and education. [Read more…]