Structural Integration (Rolfing) - Bodywork in Madison

Photo Journal

Here is one of my clients pictured before and after the "10 Series". A plumb line dropping down just in front of his anklebone has been drawn to help visualize the vertical axis around which he is organizing his structure. Ideally the earlobe, shoulder, greater trochanter (round protrusion) of the femur, midline of the knee, and the front of the anklebone should all be fairly centered along this plumb line. When any of the above mentioned joints falls forward or in back of this line, muscular imabalances occur, susceptibility to injury increases, energy and efficiency decreases, and vertical ("good") posture becomes difficult to maintain. The chronic strain patterns that happen as a result can cause pain and compensation not only in and around the individual joints, but inevitably throughout the entire structure as well.

It is worth noting here that these pictures are in no way meant to suggest or imply that there is but one universal ideal for all of our structures. While reorganizing the body's structure around the vertical line of gravity is at the core of SI, one must recognize that precise symmetry is never realized in nature. The more meaningful goal of this work is to find dynamic balance within each of our unique bodies in relationship to three dimensional space and gravity. SI aims to broaden your sense of self and to expand your possibilities for movement therefore allowing the chance to transform limiting patterns of movement, thinking and behavior.