Category — Rolfing

A lot of us believe that the secret to better skiing is better equipment. Let’s face it—the sport equipment companies are very convincing. So we spend hundreds of dollars getting top-of-the-line equipment, we dream of strapping it on and taking that great run.

But to ensure a great ski season, there’s one vital piece of equipment: your body. Even with all your state-of-art equipment, you need your body to be at its peak. Your body needs to be more than strong; it needs to be loose, aligned and relaxed to assure top performance.

What Others Don’t Tell You

Life just seems to happen, right? You wake up one morning after a hard day on the slopes, stiff, tired and sore. It’s like your body is saying, “Hey! Newsflash! You’re not young anymore!” What happened to that body that could ski all weekend and play all night?

We blame age, but that’s not it. We do lose our edge over time, but that’s because of stress, injuries, bad habits, years of hard work, maybe some minor accidents, never stretching—this all causes your body to gradually tighten and misalign. And that’s why you wake up stiff, sore and feeling battered.

But the secret is, the inherent gifts of childhood—suppleness, strength, natural alignment—are recoverable, and even upgradable.

Upgrade Your Body

Over time, every stress—even minor incidents, like occasional back pain—produces scar tissue. If you were a butcher, you would call this scar tissue gristle. And it increasingly restricts your body’s movement. As your body tightens, it causes misalignment. A tight and misaligned body cannot perform as well as it did with the suppleness of youth, which explains that stiff, sore, battered feeling.

You may have tried stretching, or some kind of bodywork therapy, only to be more frustrated with your body. But the problem could be that your soft tissue is now solid gristle. To get a body that can truly stretch, many people need remedial help.

The Solution – The Secret to Sustainable Peak Performance

If you want a different result, try a different solution. To change that gristle back to soft tissue, you must release it. Yes, it will release. Meat can be tenderized, and your tight soft tissue can become resilient again. With slow pressure, that gristly connective tissue fibers in and around your muscles can become supple again. The bio-chemical change in the fiber comes, in part, from increased circulation. As the circulation and movement increases, the once self-perpetuating tightening process reverses, and your increased movement loosens your tissue even more.

Everything from a good massage to very specific assisted stretching can move you in this direction. The fast trackers will often see me for Rolfing. For more than 30 years, I have helped elite athletes not only recover from injury, but improve their performance.

When I was working with Olympic athletes and professional ball players, my clinic did a study with Arizona State University on elite runners. Every Rolfing subject alleviated their injuries and set new personal records. The body is amazing in its ability to regenerate. It only needs a little help.

Over the years, we have grown to see the importance of stretching, rest, core strength (as Rolfers, we were promoting all this 30 years ago) and our mind’s attitude as being critical to increasing our performance and pleasure. The remaining question is, what do we do about our past sins? All the above will be limited if our bodies are tight and misaligned. To achieve the most from these activities, and our bodies, we need to reverse the years of stress.

Your Best Investment

Invest in your most important equipment—your body. The risk is low and the potential gain is high. Not only can your old injuries improve or disappear, but you may also find that you have the ease and joy of a child’s body once again. I would be as happy to speak to you about your options as I would be to work with you. But whatever you do, I suggest you step out of the traditional box to get nontraditional results.

Owen Marcus, MA Certified Advance Rolfer, www.align.org, 265.8440.

Our topic this month focuses on Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS). Several of the Sandpoint Wellness Council members treat clients complaining of this condition who have been searching for years for ways to alleviate the very painful and confusing symptoms FMS presents. Oftentimes, patients receive feedback from health care providers that what they are experiencing is “all in their heads” or that they are “hypochondriacs” due to no findings of specific clues leading to their discomfort, or they have experienced a series of diagnoses and treatments that have not proven beneficial for them over time.

Fibromyalgia Syndrome presents as chronic, muscular and joint pain that causes widespread body achiness with tenderness at various points on the body. This achiness tends to move around and therefore becomes hard to pinpoint sometimes reflecting a burning sensation and/or a tingling sensation. They may also complain of loss of sleep, low energy, stiffness following rest times, or a lack of feeling rested after a night’s sleep. It is often greatly debilitating. Mostly FMS causes a general all over body ache and constant pain and discomfort—a condition that affects one’s overall well being and ability to function fully.

In researching my resources (listed below) FMS symptoms often overlap other disorders such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Hypothyroidism (low thyroid function), Sleep Disorder, and/or TMJ dysfunction (if pain first shows up in the jaw area). This is why FMS is so hard to pin down for the medical community.

The most important therapeutic direction focuses on the management of FMS and on learning all one can about what is being experienced—paying attention to body signals, timing, and when it is weak or strong.

Joseph Pizzorno, Ph.D and Michael Murray in their Textbook of Natural Medicine, pages 1672-3, discuss the findings of several research hypotheses, one centered on low serotonin levels on sleep deprived individuals that can lead to a heightened sense of pain. The research findings did not really pan out for them on this point as serotonin is a vasoconstrictor and would therefore restrict blood flow. They found a more important approach focused on hypothyroidism, whereby there exists a “particular cellular resistance to thyroid hormone or other metabolism-impeding factors.” These factors are such things as poor diet, “nutritional deficiencies, low physical fitness, and metabolism-impeding drugs.” The authors go on to report that “cellular resistance to thyroid hormone is the underlying mechanism of two main features of FMS: chronic widespread pain and abnormal tenderness.” This condition, inadequate thyroid hormone regulation (ITHR) causes impairment to two mechanisms in the body. In the first mechanism ITHR tends to increase the release of Substance P which affects the body by increasing the sensations of pain. Thyroid treatment oftentimes proves effective in lowering Substance P and therefore reduces pain in FMS patients. The second mechanism is the reduction of the synthesis and secretion of norepinephrine (NE). “Adequate NE is essential to normal function” of neurotransmission from the central nervous system mechanisms and is dependent also on the secretion of serotonin, which in turn stimulates the release of opiates, which in turn has the effect of lowering pain sensations.

This chemistry can be oh so confusing to us, but even such brief information, I believe, enables those suffering from Fibromyalgia Syndrome to begin to ask pertinent questions of their care providers. Seeking appropriate tests and gathering scientific data from many sources will help in finding better pathways toward management and overall comfort.

Resource:

Pizzorno, Joseph and Michael Murray. Textbook of Natural Medicine. Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, St. Louis. 2006.

Members of the Sandpoint Wellness Council offer several methods from their experiences that often prove effective in supporting their FMS clients and initiating more comfort.

Krystle Shapiro, BA, LMT, CDT, Reiki, Touchstone Massage Therapies, 208/290-6760

For many people who live with chronic pain, the idea of being touched may not be welcomed. During times of lower pain and discomfort, seeking massage therapy may be just what is needed. FMS sufferers have many irritating chemicals running through their bodies and may be hypersensitive. Massage therapy, however, provides many benefits: it is effective in reducing pain, anxiety, depression, and improves sleep patterns. Massage has a gentle detoxification effect to help rid the body of some of those unwanted or overproduced chemicals. Human touch provides a warm as well as a nurturing sensation that stimulates all of our good brain chemistry, which in turn supports all our bodily systems. With detoxification, such as with Manual Lymph Drainage Massage, the body benefits from ridding itself of accumulated wastes, and then it has clearer pathways for good nutritional ingredients to reach the cells. As the article above references, a good nutritious diet, regular exercise, restful sleep, and appropriate medications lead to reduced symptoms and painful experiences of FMS.

Penny Waters, Herbology and Reflexology, Relaxation Destination, 208/597-4343

Handling Fibromyalgia With the Touch of Reflexology and Herbs

Whether it was your nervous system, an overloaded immune system, a virus, a hormonal and/or emotional breakdown, or too much prolonged stress, your body has changed and you may have fibromyalgia.

Reflexology will stimulate the internal organs and glands, nervous system, muscular system and immune system when pressure is applied to the reflexes in the feet. This promotes a healing response in the body reducing tension, congestion, inflammation, and easing the symptoms of fibromyalgia- aches and pains, constipation or diarrhea, mucus conditions, and fatigue. It is extremely relaxing to the nervous system and clients usually report sleeping more deeply for several nights after one reflexology session.

Herbs are enormously supportive for providing relief. A formula will include herbs to strengthen the nervous system. Herbs which reduce inflammation and cleanse the toxic elements in the blood and liver will be included to reduce sore muscles and aches in the body. In particular herbs for the colon and lungs will be considered.

There’s no doubt that other lifestyle changes need to be made. Healthy, alkaline, nutritious food must replace empty fast foods; rest and time out from stress must be sought. Change can be difficult, so I make it as easy as possible. I provide a ‘super foods’ list and have a cookbook to make this easy. I also advocate the use of music, aroma, visualization, and uplifting reading for ways to balance our entire body, mind and spirit, and I provide ideas for these too. You don’t have time? Your body will make you sick enough until you have no choice!

If we listen to our bodies, they tell us what we need to do to get well. Yes, they are telling us to change our jobs, change our careers, or ask for counseling to deal with emotional situations. The journey to wellness is a journey of self-help, self-discovery, and self-actualization. It can be the most rewarding journey you will ever take.

Owen Marcus, MA, CAR, Rolfing, 208/265-8440

Fibromyalgia and Rolfing – releasing stress heals fibromyalgia

Do you have on going, non-specific pain? Is this pain worse when you are tired or stressed? If you answered yes, you may be suffering from fibromyalgia. I wrote a post on fibromyalgia for my www.StressedOut.org blog explaining fibromyalgia and its relationship to stress. This post is the most read post on that blog. When you put stress and fibromyalgia in Google, this post comes up as the fourth search result. Fibromyalgia is a hot topic.

For years, I have told my clients that as a culture we live on the fibromyalgia continuum. Virtually everyone is at least developing some of the symptoms. The subclinical symptoms may only show up sporadically when we have pushed ourselves for several days.

Chronic sufferers of fibromyalgia just didn’t suddenly catch the illness. Fibromyalgia comes from our bodies being progressively run down. Years of stress, working hard, and not getting enough rest and good nutrition are some ways the body can manifest the exhaustion which develop into fibromyalgia.

Exhausted and hyper

What is interesting from a clinical prospective is all the diagnosed fibromyalgia sufferers I have seen in my practice are wired and exhausted. Most often, their soft tissue is lacking life or as an oriental medical doc would say, low chi. Their deeper soft tissue is tense and fibrous. Many of these clients are committed to getting well and have seen many other good practitioners without getting well. These docs and healthcare providers along with the clients can’t understand why they are still sick.

Much like with depression and chronic fatigue that are closely related to fibromyalgia, fibromyalgia clients need to release the deep chronic tension to get well. That deeper layer of soft tissue needs to come back to life. It is as if that layer is blocking the chi and blood circulation from reaching vital organs and the more superficial levels.

The power of Rolfing

Over the 30 years I have treated people, I have received many referrals from others who normally get great results, but were not getting them for these clients. We all learned that without these deep layers releasing it is as if the other work such as homeopathy and clinical nutrition can’t get into the tissue. Once the stress, exhaustion and tension releases, all the therapies that once were not working start to work better than the norm. These clients often prove to be some of the most successful cases for other practitioners. Rolfing can free the body to allow other therapies to support deep healing and rejuvenation.

Fibromyalgia is not a disease

I find fibromyalgia with the correct therapies combination “curable.” As I mentioned in the post on Stressed Out.org, the medical profession fails to recognize fibromyalgia as a real problem because they believe they have a drug for it. As you read up on this drug, you read that the drug company is not promising a cure, just a mitigation of symptoms.

Fibromyalgia is a condition that developed because the body became run down – not because of an illness that was contracted from being exposed to a pathogen. To get well you don’t treat the problem, you treat the cause. Once the cause shifts, the problem disappears. Rolfing releases the tension and teaches the body not to recreate it.

From my experience, if a person truly wants to get well from fibromyalgia and is willing to step outside the presently considered treatment box – they will get well. The road back to wellness will take a while. It will require commitment and a willingness to feel and express old emotions. There will be times when the person will feel worse – more exhausted and more depressed and possibly experience more short term pain. By hanging in there – you will get well.

Ilani Kopiecki, CMT, IET, CranioSacral and Integrated Massage,

208/610-2005

Approaching Fibromyalgia with CranioSacral Therapy

With the heat and inflammation of fibromyalgia, tissues can be chronically tight and painful. CranioSacral Therapy can help fibromyalgia by gently and effectively releasing tight, sore muscles and joints so that oxygen can enter those areas and enhance healing. CranioSacral Therapy also addresses areas of the body that have been holding due to chronic pain, such as the neck, lower back and spine. When those areas are relaxed and aligned the whole body can be more flexible and able to move through the day.

Is your neck bothering you now? Is it stiff? Do you have a numb arm? Chronic headaches? If so, you’re in good company. Neck pain affects two-thirds of the population at some point in their lives¹.

The Source

Virtually all neck pain starts from the soft tissue–the muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia (the connective tissue that holds the muscles together). Soft tissue tightens and shortens after an injury, due to postural strain, or just from stress. Then soft tissue literally pulls the bones out of alignment. Eventually, it may even cause the cervical discs to deteriorate. This compression may ultimately impinge on a nerve causing numbness or shooting pain down the arm.

Soft tissues pulling on the head often cause headaches. Every client I’ve seen who was suffering from headaches also had a tight neck. Inevitability, when the neck released, the headaches would disappear.

Acute and Chronic Causes

Accidents will often cause neck pain. Whiplash injuries from automobile accidents can push the vertebra of the neck backwards causing you to lose the natural curve in your neck. Strains to the upper back or shoulders will often cause the neck muscles to tighten as they adapt to the injury.

On a more long-term basis, poor posture can cause the head to stick forward. Your head weighs a good ten pounds. When the head is out of normal position it places a lot of strain on supporting muscles to do a job they weren’t designed to do. These muscles were meant to turn the head, not hold it up against gravity. The posture muscles of the neck and back are very small and deep. When our bodies are in balance, the bigger muscles don’t need to work much. They don’t need to be stronger – they need to let go.

Some anatomists claim that some of your neck muscles are secondary breathing muscles. Actually, you are only meant to use these neck muscles in survival situations such as running for your life. If you continue to use these muscles to hold up the shoulders (in an attempt to get more air in the upper lobes of the lungs), you end up with shoulders up around your ears and the appearance of having no neck.

Treatment

Because of the many layers of muscles and the seven vertebra of the neck, there is a lot of room for maladaptation and tension. Treating the neck pain means regaining suppleness and mobility. If the tightness is recent, a good massage or a chiropractic adjustment might be all you need. If the tension (but not necessarily the pain) has existed for years, you may need to address the chronic tension to treat the recent pain. My recommendation is always start with the easiest, cheapest and quickest treatment, then gradually progress up the treatment scale until you achieve the results you want.

Standard exercise does not usually alleviate the pain. In the short run, there may be some improvement because you are moving your neck. But neck pain is not caused by weak muscles; it is caused by tension and misalignment that need to be released.

Over several decades of treating clients’ neck pain as a Rolfer, I’ve learned that releasing the chronic tension in the head, neck and upper back does wonders for healing neck pain. For some clients, much of their neck pain comes from their neck adjusting to an imbalance lower in their body. For instance, if one leg is shorter, your back and neck will adjust so your head is level. Years of this adaptation will create strain. You can loosen the neck, but often the pain will continue if the entire body isn’t balanced.

It’s amazing how the body can heal when the stress is removed. Your body wants to feel good; it just may need a little help to regain the resiliency you once had.

¹According to Allan I. Binder, MD, a rheumatologist who published a 2007 study in the British Medical Association Journal.

Owen Marcus, MA Certified Advance Rolfer, www.align.org, 265.8440.

Allergies are among one of the most common medical conditions, affecting approximately one out of every five Americans. Common triggers include various grass and tree pollen, such as ragweed and elm, as well as foods or food groups like milk, nuts, or shellfish, and animal dander. Basically, anything the body does not recognize as “self” can become a potential allergen. Simply put, an allergy is an abnormal immune response to an otherwise harmless substance. The body detects a food or pollen exposure as a foreign invader, which triggers an inflammatory reaction. Symptoms range from the irritating but benign nasal congestion, sneezing and itchy eyes to possible skin rashes and hives, to the potentially fatal inflammation and swelling of upper airways.

Asthma is a respiratory condition that affects nearly 3 percent of Americans. Asthma is closely related in nature to the allergic-type response, as it too is a hyper-inflammatory reaction to an otherwise harmless substance or event. Often, people with asthma also suffer from some form of allergies. In asthma, one’s ability to breathe is greatly affected. Typical symptoms include spasm of the bronchi (or airway tubes), swelling of lining of the lungs, and excessive mucous production. Shortness of breath and wheezing are often experienced. The greatest concern is that if not immediately addressed, an asthmatic attack could lead to respiratory failure.

Mario Roxas, ND, 208/946-0984

A Naturopathic Prospective

Allergies and asthma are both conditions that can benefit from various alternative and complementary therapies. From a naturopathic perspective, one of the key considerations is to lower a person’s allergic threshold. This involves not only identifying the triggers and finding ways to reduce the risk of exposure, but also looking at aspects of an individual’s current lifestyle and health that may make them more prone to allergy reactions. If a person is already in a state of higher stress or inflammation, then they are more susceptible to react to other stressors that come their way. For example, habits such as smoking, and/or excess alcohol intake, lower an individual’s ability to handle the additional stressors that seasonal allergens may place on the body. Additionally, poor diet and nutritional deficiencies can play a very significant role in reducing one’s resistance to allergens. Key nutritional supplementation, like omega 3 fatty acids and bioflavonoids, along with certain diet and lifestyle modifications, can help reduce inflammation and strengthen the body’s resistance to stressors, allowing for better management of allergies. To find out more specific things you can do to manage your allergies and asthma, please call Mario Roxas, ND at 208-946-0984 or email at info@drroxas.com and set up a visit.

Owen Marcus, MA Certified Advance Rolfer, www.align.org, 265.8440

A Rolfer’s Perspective

Respiratory disorders, such as allergies and asthma, can actually alter the body’s physical structure. In the case of respiratory difficulty, restricted breathing can create a misshapen rib cage. If breathing is difficult–or even scary–the body will distort around that stress, adapting by creating fascial adhesions or scar tissue. Not taking full breaths creates the restricted structure reinforcing the experience that breathing is difficult.

So how do we reverse this pattern?

First, you free the chronic structural and soft tissue pattern by releasing the chronic tension held in the body. Rolfing was specifically designed to remove the chronic tension held in the body’s soft tissue and can reestablish the subtleness to allow the rib cage to move more freely.

Twenty years ago, I conducted a study on Rolfing with elite runners at Arizona State University. The biggest improvement they collectively experienced was increased vital capacity (the ability to take in more air). Even the world-class runners—including an Olympic marathon runner—experienced breathing improvements. Chronic allergy and asthma sufferers, after decades of breathing restrictions, usually see considerable improvement with Rolfing.

The other key factor with optimal breathing is to learn not to respond to stress in the old tension-producing manner.

When I had a clinic in Scottsdale, AZ, we operated a Mindfulness Stress Reduction program for hospitals and corporations. In the eight-week course, we often had students who experienced breathing problems. After a few weeks of teaching their mind and body to relax in the face of stress, the respiratory symptoms would decline. The core of the course was learning to feel, and then let what was occurring to occur. When we stop resisting our bodies, we stop tensing. For whatever reason, we learned to hold our breath when stressed; when we just let go and breathe, the stress seems to dissipate. When the tension of stress is gone, we breathe naturally.

Penny Waters, Relaxation Destination, 208/597-4343

Herbs and ReflexologyPerspective, Handling Allergies With the Touch of Reflexology and Herbs

Many of you are probably breathing a sigh of relief now that the days of buds in spring and grasses in summer are turning to cooler days of fall and winter. Gone will be the allergens that cause you such discomfort – itchy and runny eyes, sniffles, sore throat, stuffed up sinuses, aching head and so on. Would you like to be free of this yearly misery? Then let’s use the winter months to prepare for spring in such a way that you do not experience your allergies next year.

Without a doubt, the immune system needs to be cleansed and strengthened in order to fight the myriad of external pollutants and irritants that surround us daily that cause our allergic reactions. I recommend some wonderful herbs for this purpose. Foods that congest our system and cause our immune system to work overtime have to be reduced and eliminated, too. Foods that will be good for you are also recommended and help give you replacements for your usual fare. I also use herbs to boost immunity: Herbs that are high in Vitamin C that help flush the kidneys and detoxify the liver all find a place in an herbal formula. Herbs help curb cravings, too, when we give up some of our comfort foods for the sake of our health.

At the core of this program to control allergic reactions is reflexology. A series of reflexology sessions in the fall and then in late winter before spring will ensure success. The body is stimulated to throw off the congestion and toxic accumulation in your blood, organs, and lymphatic system. This will be strongly supported by your food program. You will be amazed at how deeply you can breathe, how clear your head feels, how alive and mobile you are, and how great it feels to experience true wellness.

Don’t wait until spring. Start now and avoid allergy misery and give yourself a health boost that will last a lifetime.

Robin and Layman Mize, Quantum Biofeedback, Certified Biofeedback Specialists, 208/610-9997.

Biofeedback and Allergies

When we hear the term “allergy testing” we most often think of the traditional medical approach, using a “scratch test” or needles to determine allergy stressors or sensitivities.

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Biofeedback Analysis is a phenomenal, scientific method to detect sensitivities using ones’ own muscle strength and the static electricity present in the body. Even children feel comfortable using this accurate, non-invasive and painless method of analysis!

Biofeedback analysis is based on the idea that there is an energy field which flows around and through all things. The Chinese call this energy Qi or Chi (pronounced “Chee”). Like a magnet creates a magnetic field which holds iron filings in a certain pattern, the Chi creates a field which holds the cells of our body in alignment. Theoretically, by altering the Chi, one can alter the body. In biofeedback analysis we use the body’s energy as a gauge to determine the level of stress intolerance to a given substance.

Krystle Shapiro, BA, LMT, CDT, Touchstone Massage Therapies,

208-290-6760

A Medical Massage Therapy Perspective

I find Manual Lymph Drainage Therapy especially helpful for clearing congestion in the sinuses and chest when my clients complain of stuffy heads, runny noses, and difficulty breathing. The lymph system works overtime during spring and summer when so much environmental toxins are present in our air and water. This specialized massage effectively encourages the lymph system to speed up its removal of accumulated toxins and cellular wastes of all kinds. This may increase a runny nose and/or coughing experience, but these reactions are short lived as the wastes are eliminated leaving the allergy/asthma sufferer feeling more clear headed, less achy, “dryer” and more energetic to get on with normal routines.

Clearing the accumulated debris from the immune system in a timely fashion enables it to continue its normal alert, attack, and manage activities that keep us healthy and vibrant. Manual Lymph Drainage is the perfect complement to your fall/winter health regimen.

There’s an 80% chance you will see your doc about back pain during your life. In the last article, you learned the distinction between acute and chronic back pain, and how to not cause either. And you learned that breathing is the key to preventing and healing back tension. This article will explore, in greater depths, what is behind chronic back pain and what you can do about it.

As a Rolfer, I tend to treat people after they tried everything else. This in not because other treatments are ineffective – it’s because the tension that is causing the persistent problem is old. After many years of repeated back problems, the entire body gets tighter and more distorted. The original problem might have been from a childhood injury. Over the years, the body has more stress, more injuries and more patterns of compensation that all add to increased tension. At some point, the body exhausts its ability to counteract the original strain pattern. Now you are worse off – you have the original tension plus years of coping with it.

The Often-Overlooked Source of Back Pain

We all know we get shorter as we age. But it’s not our bones shortening—it’s the soft tissue shortening and screwing down. Here is a quick test to evaluate what your low back is up against:

Stand up, and place your fingers on your pelvis.

Push in a little until you feel that lower twelve rib.

Optimally, you should have the space of three finger widths between your pelvis and your lower rib.

Rarely do I find that much space. Two finger widths is great, one is adequate. When you are at no space or having your ribs inside your pelvis, you have a problem.

This is where we lose most of our height. Our discs are like jelly donuts being space fillers between the vertebras allowing the spine to move. They become pancakes from this compression. When the discs compress and the tissue around them tighten, they dehydrate from lack of circulation and movement. This sets up the bulging or ruptured disc that may require surgery. This chronic tension and shortness just makes you more vulnerable to back injury and pain.

Strengthening your back will often give your short-term gain; you’ll have increased movement, and you may develop a new pattern of compensation. Over time, the soft tissue just gets tighter.

We need to go in the other direction. We need to release and lengthen the tissue. Unfortunately at this point, stretching does not work for most people. Stretching these muscles is like stretching a steel cable. We need to make the soft tissue soft again.

What Is Possible

If the body created soft tissue strain, it can usually un-create it. When the correct amount of pressure is applied to the right area, the tissue begins to release. Over time, hydration, subtleness and movement returns. The body begins to unwind as it lengthens out. The space in between the pelvis and the ribs returns.

Once the body attains a level of order and relaxation, the change becomes sustainable. All our bodies prefer pleasure to pain. When we are so used to pain, it can take a while for our bodies to trust that our backs can be as they were when we were younger.

Part of returning this vibrancy to our tissue comes from changing simple behaviors. The first is learning not to protect your back. The natural behavior of holding to avoid or reduce your back pain over time only makes your back tighter. I have seen people where their pain is long gone, the back is loose, but the person still protects out of habit. Noticing how subtlety we hold is huge. A lot of little holding all the time adds up to be significant. A lot of subtle letting go adds up also.

Rolfing is certainly not the only means to releasing chronic tension; it just may be quickest, though. Teaching the entire body to deeply and consistently relax can do a lot. As mentioned in the previous article, learning to breath and dealing with stress can significantly improve chronic pain.

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Owen Marcus as Sandpoint’s local Rolfer (www.align.org) focuses on turning around chronic conditions.

It’s inevitable. Like death and taxes. Back pain.

Second to colds, the most likely reason you’ll visit a healthcare provider will be back pain. Fifty percent of Americans report back pain each year.

Are you in pain right now? Is your movement limited? Are you reducing your activities because of the pain or the fear of the pain? Let’s look at why.

A lot of back pain comes from overexertion. If that’s you, you’re lucky. Your pain will go away once your body recovers from being pushed. And there’s a good chance it won’t return—unless you overdo it again. In time, you’ll be fine.

For pain due to overexertion, traditional remedies work well. Cold compresses can reduce swelling. Warm, moist heat helps muscles that feel tight. Alternating the two can be beneficial. And of course, massage and gentle stretching relax the tightness, and the movement prevents further stiffness. Rest always supports the body in healing, and topical ointments will give you warmth and local pain relief.

Chronic Back Pain

Chronic back pain is a different animal. Pain often occurs without physical exertion; it just shows up. As the frequency and intensity of episodes increase, each incident leaves a tension residue that sets up the next attack of pain. Pain pills and muscles relaxers can help, but many people don’t like their side effects. One thing is clear: just treating the symptom is not enough—particularly when the problem is likely to return.

Prevention and Treatment

The best way to treat chronic back pain is to prevent it. Learn to lift using your legs. Sit on your sits bones. Stop slouching! It will all reduce back strain. Use ergonomic furniture that adjusts to your unique body, instead of forcing your body to adapt to the furniture. Moving helps, too – get up and walk around, take breaks.

And the most critical behavior—the one we never think—about is breathing. I know, you are breathing. The question is how well.

When I taught Mindfulness Stress Reduction courses in Scottsdale, AZ, the principal reason people came to us was back pain. At the time, we were the largest company offering these courses in the country. Most of our students for the 8-week course were referrals from hospital networks or corporate clients.

We taught the students to breath. As easy as it might sound, the first few weeks were tough. Doing very simple relaxation exercises would actually create stress. The students’ old habits prevented them from relaxing and breathing fully. Once they realized how tense they were, they saw and how much they were limiting their breath—even when they believed they were relaxed. With daily homework and coming to the weekly class, their awareness and breathing increased as their stress and pain declined.

What does this mean for you? If these very tense people can dramatically change their stress and pain in 8-weeks, so can you. The first step is to become aware of how you hold your body and your breath. If you are holding one, you are holding the other. As your breath becomes fuller, slower and more relaxed you begin to train your body not to hold stress, but to release it.

In keeping with letting go, I suggest to my clients that they do not do “back strengthening” exercises. I have not seen a back that was muscularly weak; I see many that are structurally weak. Our bigger back muscles are not meant to be posture muscles, they are designed to move us, not hold us. The constant holding makes them tighter. Rather than getting stronger form sit-ups or back extensions, practice breathing and stretching.

My next article will build on this one and begin to explore how Rolfing turns around chronic back pain.

Owen Marcus as Sandpoint’s local Rolfer (www.align.org) focuses on turning around chronic conditions.

It is with great pride and excitement I introduce you to The Sandpoint Wellness Council. We are an association of independent complementary wellness practitioners located in Sandpoint dedicated to holistic health care, who together see the value of our synergistic practices, and who have chosen to work diligently together to bring to you relevant and scientifically researched information on health care options. We believe that there is no “one” solution for everyone; rather each person individually has unique needs and concerns, and undertaken in such a perspective, effective remediation of causes of distress and dis-ease can be accomplished.

This year our collective aim is to bring you information about our individual practices and their objectives so that you may make informed decisions about what you want in your personal health care regimen. Complementary health care is about synergy, about working with all ideas for health improvement, prevention, and maintenance of well being. The Sandpoint Wellness Council aims to inform, generate relevant questions, answer those questions, and assist others in finding and understanding current research. Many of our practitioners offer protocols that can effectively provide relief of many common complaints.

Each month we will be presenting a topic and will provide information from several of the participating Sandpoint Wellness Council members. We invite our readers to contact us with questions you would like us to address, and we will provide that information in upcoming issues of The River Journal. Contact information is provided at the end of this article.

Our first topic focuses on Migraine Headaches. According to Ruth Werner in A Massage Therapist’s Guide to Pathology, page 266, 28 million people experience migraines. This leads to not only lost wages but to high medical expenses each year. Women tend to suffer more than men, and causes are varied, from genetic factors, personal lifestyle choices, as well as to environmental influences.

Physiologically, migraines can occur from a narrowing of blood vessels in the brain called vasoconstriction. This increases blood pressure within the vessels. This is then followed by an expansion of the blood vessels called vasodilation. With this expansion comes the intense pain of a migraine headache.

Trying to uncover the causes of migraines remains a prominent topic among many professionals. As we accept the bio-individuality of ourselves, we also recognize that a prescription of “one size fits all” does not always effectively deal with the possible triggers that cause migraines. Ruth Werner suggests many possible triggers, such as magnesium deficiency (which allows for muscle relaxation), “consumption of certain kinds of foods, including red wine, cheese, chocolate, coffee, tea [all our favorite things!], MSG, and alcohol” (266-67). As well, Werner relates that stress and hormonal shifts may also be contributing factors.

As Complementary Health practitioners, we see people with a variety of symptoms, and each of us has learned to address these symptoms within our scopes of practice. Following are the educated and professional protocols The Sandpoint Wellness Council members utilize to bring comfort and relief for the expressions of migraine headaches for our valued clients. Your review of these multifaceted options may provide you insight for what may work for your specific needs.

From Ilani Kopiecki, CMT, Integrated Body Work and CranioSacral Therapy, 208-610-2005:

In CranioSacral Therapy we use several different release techniques to help with migraine headaches. We release the vertebrae in the neck and upper thoracic area to make sure blood flow to the head is running smoothly. We adjust the sacrum and lower back to ensure release throughout the spine. We also release the occiput, temporal, frontal, and parietal bones in the head so that the dural tissue throughout the cranium is open and pliable. Sometimes the jaw and the TMJ areas must be released as well to alleviate pressure in the neck and head. It is also important to counsel the client on diet, lifestyle, and water intake.

From Kristine Battey MSPT, ATC, CSCS, HLC, Divine Health & Fitness, www.divinehf.com, 208-946-7072

Exercise can be an excellent tool for fighting off a migraine and may also help the person to relax when they have a migraine. Light cardiovascular exercise followed by stretching and deep, relaxing breathing can relax the body and the muscles in the neck and shoulders that lead to tension related migraine headaches. The use of a foam roller or therapeutic ball for stretching can help the spinal muscles to relax. During acute migraine, I instruct clients to lie down in a quiet room, close their eyes and do gentle stretches along with relaxing, deep breathing techniques. This may relieve the migraine or at least help it to be more tolerable.

Another important part of preventing migraines is related to the person’s diet. It is important for a migraine sufferer to clear their diet of toxins and eat high quality, nutrient dense food. I assess my clients physiological load which is the sum total of all stressors acting on their body: what they eat, when they eat, stress, sleep, their digestive system, and their detoxification system. I also assess what metabolic type they are and guide them to make quality food choices according to what types of food their particular nutritional type would benefit from most. Eating an organic, whole food diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and quality sources of grass-fed, organic meat are important for optimal health and may help to decrease the incidence or severity of migraines.

From Krystle Shapiro, LMT, Touchstone Massage Therapies, 208-290-6760

Oftentimes with severe headaches, the last thing someone wants is to be touched! Depending on the severity of the headache, and/or the type of headache, i.e. cluster, migraine, sinus, tension, or chemical headaches, massage can provide a reduction of stress that may be a contributing factor. Manual lymph drainage, a specialized massage for moving lymph fluids, may be especially helpful in releasing head congestion contributing to migraine symptoms.

From Robin Mize CBS. Quantum Biofeedback, 208-263-8846
There are a number of alternative or complementary treatment options available for migraine relief. One of these options for migraines is biofeedback. Biofeedback is a technique that involves reducing the effects of pain and stress on your body by learning how your body reacts to pain and stress. Biofeedback does this through monitoring instruments that can detect and display internal bodily function. This is where the EPFX system comes in. This system picks up on those individual stressors and retrains through the subconscious mind. The practitioner is able to share with the client what those stressors may be, and then the client can use that information for lifestyle changes. This can give people better control over body function indicators such as blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, muscle tension, and brain waves. Biofeedback is a type of complementary and alternative medicine known as mind-body therapy. Biofeedback for migraines may be coupled with relaxation therapy. Relaxation therapy teaches a variety of relaxation strategies for reducing tension and stress throughout the body. I have been able to assist many of my clients that suffer with migraine headaches.
From Owen Marcus, MA, CA, Rolfer, 265-8440, www.align.org

As a Rolfer over that past 28 years, I have had many referrals for migraines. Every one of these clients had an usually tense upper back, neck and head. Neurologist, who were clients of mine and who sent me some of these clients, also saw a consistent pattern of tension with migraine patients. Chronic soft tissue tension is often a reflection of not just a higher stress level, but can come from never being taught how to really relax. Once the body begins to relax, the mind learns to relax. Together the client has greater resiliency to stress, thereby less vulnerable to headaches. Once the soft tissue tension begins to release from the upper body, enviably the migraines would reduce or completely disappear.

From Penny Waters, Reflexologist, Master Herbalist, 597-4343

When a client comes to me seeking relief from migraine headaches I immediately anticipate that I will find imbalance in the liver and/or pituitary gland/brain/spine and nerve reflexes. This is because migraines are associated with digestive difficulties, especially congestion in the liver, tension from stress, which always affects the function of the pituitary gland (and, in turn, all glands), nervous system and constricting and expanding blood vessels in the brain.
We begin with a thorough written and verbal consultation about lifestyle, stresses, foods eaten, exercise habits, and so on. I offer hope and an outline of the approach we will take together to facilitate wellness.
Despite my initial suspicions, I always let the feet tell me what is out of balance in the body. My client is invited to ‘put their feet up’ and then I go to work giving a full reflexology session on the feet, making notes as to areas of tension, congestion and inflammation. Reflexology is revealing as it tells me which organs or glands are out of balance and needing healing that promote proper function of the body. Reflexology helps the migraine headaches decrease in frequency and intensity and also is profoundly relaxing to the body, mind and spirit relieving stress and the resulting impact on wellness. When the reflexology is complete, I discuss with my client the organs, glands and body parts that are out of balance and the impact of reflexology on promoting wellness. I generally recommend reflexology treatments once a week for 4-6 weeks for a transformation in the condition. Individual programs, however, will be made according to the needs of the client. I also recommend herbs that will help bring about and speed up wellness in the affected areas and relieve the migraine headaches. Generally one herbal formula in a tea or tincture is all that I recommend at any one time. At this point I will discuss foods that are commonly associated with triggering migraines and make suggestions for food changes that will help prevent migraines. The goal is to assess the whole person and the life of this person to establish patterns that are leading to this painful condition and to choose a new path leading to well-being and joyful living.

Contact information for your questions for future articles:
Krystle Shapiro, Touchstone Massage Therapies: 208-290-6760, or email at krystle.touchstone@gmail.com.

The Sandpoint Wellness Council Members:
Krystle Shapiro, Touchstone Massage Therapies, 208/290-6760
Owen Marcus, Rolfing, 208/265-8440
Tess Hahn, Acupuncture, 208/683-5211
Kristine Battey, Divine Health Physical Therapy, 208/946-7072
Ilani Kopiecki, Integrated Body Work & CranioSacral 208/610-2005
Mary Boyd, Mountain View Physical Therapy 208/290-5575
Robin Mize, Quantum Biofeedback Systems 208/610-9997
Julie Hutslar, Core Belief Restructuring 208/263-1448
Mario Roxas, Naturopath 208/946-0984
Toni Tessier, Dancing Hands Massage, Bach Flowers 208/610-8681
Penny Waters, Relaxation Destination, Herbology, Reflexology 208/597-4343

A Common Complaint from Today’s Busy People

Each of us has heard from many of our friends and family that they suffer from arthritis. It seems to be common today and we have begun to take it for granted. With the coming of the maturing of the “boomers” we have begun to expect arthritis as part of the aging experience.

Research is uncovering that arthritis has begun to affect people as early as age 25. One of the professional dental assistants I have recently been visiting shared with me that her three year old daughter is suffering from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. I was stunned to hear that.

Arthritis is generally considered an inflammation of the joints leading to pain or tenderness, stiffness, perhaps localized swelling, sometimes a “crunchiness” sound in the joints known as crepitis, and often a loss of full use potential in the affected areas, mainly the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands, hips, knees, and ankles. This occurs because joint spaces become narrowed due to a loss of cartilage or crystalline boney deposits. Wear and tear, normal for active people, as well as repetitive motions experienced in work and sports activities accumulates as we age and may cause damage to the collagen matrix covering and padding our joint ends. Our joints are always moving, bone, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, fluids, etc. to enable our actions. Stress and strain on our joints can cause damage that in turn causes irritation and thus inflammation. Surfaces that were once smooth become rough, irritated, and tender. Such inflammation alerts the body to release enzymes that further damage the irritated cartilage.

Two forms of arthritis are more familiarly recognized: Osteoarthritis (OA) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). We ask ourselves, “What, if I am living a normal active lifestyle, causes me to acquire such a condition?” Some causes may be congenital predisposition as arthritis tends to run in families, such as abnormalities in joint or bone structures. Also trauma, obesity whereby excess weight places additional wear on weight bearing joints, nutritional deficiencies, illness or disease, even previously experienced ones leaving an “imprint” on structures, allergies, immune disorders, stress (and who doesn’t experience stress in our busy lives), and our everyday exposures to environmental pollutants and toxins.

Most of these “symptoms” are addressed with pain relieving medications, and many work well in spite of the variety of side effects. But the causes are the real culprits that must be addressed to bring on the most long lasting results.

Natural therapies have become more widespread in reducing the pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of mobility in affected joints and can work in complement with ongoing medical interventions. As a massage therapist studying holistic nutrition, I have become fascinated with the connection of dietary choices that can accelerate or diminish the symptoms of OA or RA. And, as well, our exposures to industrial pollutants and toxins have lead to many disorders affecting digestion, all with a connection to OA and RA, such as leaky gut syndrome, GERD (acid reflux), candidiasis (overgrowth of yeasts in the gut), allergies, chemical sensitivities, chronic infections, and autoimmune disorders as in ankylosing spondylitis and lupus erythematosis.

The members of The Sandpoint Wellness Council often serve clients suffering from arthritic conditions and seek to find answers and solutions to the many individualistic causes. Following are the therapies they find most effective in relieving the day-to-day symptoms enabling an improvement in pain management, overall health and healing, and mobility. Our goal is to provide information to help you choose a therapy best suited for your needs, and we always welcome your responses to our articles. Please visit our website, www.sandpointwellnesscouncil.com, and share with us your stories, comments, and ideas.

Krystle Shapiro, LMT. Touchstone Massage Therapy 208/290-6760

When joints are stiff and inflamed, the surrounding muscles respond by tightening up. The brain sends chemistry to the affected areas signaling the need to protect, and this in turn informs the muscles to react whereby they then further compress the joints. Massage therapy can relax tensed muscles, gently stretch and release spasms, reduce associated pain, and improve overall mobility of joint function.

Ilani Kopiecki, CMT, Ilani Healing CranioSacral, 208/610-2005

The pain and inflammation from arthritis can be miserable and sometimes debilitating. Through the release work of CranioSacral Therapy, tight tissues brought on by arthritis can be softened, enabling blood flow and oxygen to surge into inflamed areas, providing pain relief and mobility. Since CranioSacral Therapy is based on light touch, the affected area can be treated without much invasive manipulation, thus preventing more discomfort for the client.

Owen Marcus, MA, Certified Advance Rolfer, 208/265-8440, www.align.org

In thirty years of practice, I’ve worked with many people who were diagnosed with arthritis. After Rolfing, the symptoms usually went away when the soft tissue tension left. In this country, we traditionally had little understanding of how soft tissue (muscles and fascia – the tissue that holds everything together) affects all aspects of our existence. Last summer, my colleagues produced the first international conference on fascia at Harvard Medical School for clinicians and researchers. It was so successful that another one is planned.

Often, someone who has osteoarthritis will tell me that the joint they injured many years ago is now the joint with arthritis. Previous trauma creates a cascade of body responses that can end with a joint locking up. By releasing the effect of the trauma in the soft tissue, we can often prevent–and in few cases, reverse–arthritis. I will be the first to admit, however, that after a joint has deteriorated, removing the soft tissue strain may be of little benefit to the joint – Rolfing can prevent other areas from tightening.

Penny Waters, Reflexology and Herbs, Relaxation Destination, 208/597-4343, sunpen54@yahoo.com

Whether suffering from osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, a client will benefit from reflexology and herbs. They decrease inflammation and pain and help prevent a worsening condition. Reflexology is proven to improve blood circulation. This means stagnant, inflamed areas are flushed so swelling decreases and soreness improves. With improved circulation the liver cleanses and kidneys filter impurities more frequently, which reduces toxicity that promotes inflammation.

Reflexology will help stimulate the natural release of cortisone from the adrenal glands which reduces inflammation and pain. The relaxation of reflexology coupled with the improved circulation results in joints feeling less stiff as well as less painful. It’s wonderful that improvement can happen in painful places without having to touch them directly.

Herbs are selected for their specific properties which will benefit the person with arthritis. I look for herbs which will reduce inflammation and swelling and support liver and kidney function. Burdock is an excellent choice for these goals. Cleansing herbs that will penetrate into muscles and tissue walls; cleansers that will break down organic waste such as uric acid; pain relieving herbs; herbs with high levels of vitamin C to return an acid system to an alkaline system will all be combined into a formula for relief.

Lifestyle support is very valuable so I make the following suggestions: Movement/exercise will help stiff joints from becoming heavily arthritic. Do a little every day. Reduction of highly acidic foods (examples are meats, acidic fruit) will also support a return to well-being. I encourage my clients to do their best to make dietary changes that will help them feel better. All kinds of supportive ideas are available in a little booklet I have for my clients for easy reference. Reflexology and herbs offer a safe and healthy way to relieve the symptoms of arthritis. Check with your doctor, as always, and then discover the help that is available.

Mario Roxas, Naturopathic Physician, 208/946-0984

Arthritis is an inflammatory condition affecting the joints. There are several potential factors that can contribute to an individual developing arthritis. Such factors include genetics, age, weight, previous injuries, illness or infection, and chronic repetitive movements as associated with a job or a sport. Mounting clinical evidence suggests that dietary habits and potential nutritional deficiencies can also be significant contributing factors to arthritis.

As a naturopathic physician I work with patients not only to diminish their arthritis, but get to the cause of their pain and inflammation. This involves taking a fairly comprehensive personal medical history that looks at all those factors mentioned above, from family history, to past illnesses and injuries, to occupation, hobbies and level of physical activity. This medical history also includes taking an in-depth look at a patient’s diet. Once this done, I develop a treatment plan that outlines specific nutritional considerations and dietary recommendations that can help lessen inflammation and promote healing for that particular individual. I may also incorporate anti-inflammatory herbs to further help soothe pain and promote relaxation and soft tissue repair, and physiotherapeutic modalities, such as hydrotherapy, stretching, and various bodywork techniques, to help increase circulation, reduce stress, and enhance flexibility.

At this point it is important to note is that there is no one set treatment plan. For instance, if 10 people came to the office diagnosed with arthritis, they may all share similar general symptoms, but their root cause may be different. For one person it may be an underlying nutritional deficiency. For another, an immune function issue. And for yet another it may be a metabolism issue. Consequently, each person may leave with a different treatment plan. One thing that is consistent with each plan is my adherence to the principles of naturopathic medicine which are: First, do no harm, address the cause not just the symptom, treat the whole individual not just the injury, help the body heal itself, and promote prevention and wellness. Please visit my website at: www.drroxas.com

Kristine Battey MSPT, ATC, CSCS, HLC, Owner Divine Health & Fitness, www.divinehf.com, 208-946-7072

I have worked with many people with varying levels of arthritis. I teach people exercises designed to preserve and increase the strength and use of their joints. People who suffer from arthritis usually always feel better after exercising. Exercise helps the joints to become looser and glide better which in turn decreases the amount of pain and stiffness a person may suffer from.

An exercise session may begin with low or non-impact aerobic exercise such as the stationary bike or elliptical machine to warm up the body and begin to loosen the joints. Aerobic exercise also strengthens the heart, helps to maintain weight, and increases the overall fitness level. The more fit a person with arthritis is, the easier the disease is to manage and the more active and pain-free the person is likely to be. Gentle range of motion exercises are another type of exercise that moves the joint through it’s full range of motion helping to relieve stiffness, improving and maintaining joint mobility, and increasing flexibility. Strengthening exercises preserve and increase muscle strength, increase the person’s general level of fitness, and help to maintain overall body strength and weight.

Any exercise program that I design is always tailored to the individual’s disease and limitations. Any movement is better than no movement and will improve the person’s quality of life significantly.

Rolfing focuses on restoring order to the body’s structure so that it is structurally integrated and aligned with gravity. Through a series of 10 one-hour sessions, the soft tissue (muscles, tendons and fascia) of the body is remolded into a looser and straighter shape. This procedure of sculpturing is a slow, firm manipulation of the soft tissue. As pressure is applied to the tissue, the body releases tension as it relaxes.

Each session focuses on specific goals and areas of the body. These sessions are cumulative, as each session builds on the results of the previous session. As the body is reordered, so are its movement patterns. New, more efficient habits enhance the structural changes, preventing the likelihood of a re-injury or the return of old tension.

Releasing stress in the body
Most often, the need for Rolfing is stress-related. It may be due to stress resulting from an accident, athletics or repetitive motion; or it may be the psychological stress that we all endure.

For example, an old childhood injury may be compounded by a sports injury and then accentuated by a minor auto accident. Six months after the auto accident, in spite of all that has been done to get well, pain still lingers. While many therapies treat recent conditions with success, a chronic condition may actually underline the most recent injury. To relieve the pain of the recent injury, the chronic tension needs to be released. When a tight body experiences one too many traumas, it no longer has any resilience.

Simply put, even the healthiest body will reach a place where there is no more room for stress. This body will remain tense until the older trauma is released as well as the more recent trauma. Rolfing addresses these long-held traumas as well as the more recent traumas.

Rolfing in the news and on TV
The Oprah Winfrey Show devoted a section of their program to Rolfing. The million people who have been Rolfed , until now, have driven the growth of Rolfing’s popularity. It was only a matter of time before Rolfing became main stream. Oprah’s show will likely be a major contributing factor. Oprah is known for investigating and scouting relatively undiscovered phenomenon that can help people. Oprah´s allure is base on her ability to discover the next beneficial wave. Vogue magazine is also touting the benefits of Rolfing.

The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal write about the success of Nathaniel Kahn’s documentary Two Hands. The film is about classical pianist Leon Fleisher return to performing. Fleisher used Rolfing as one of his therapies to recover from extreme focal dystonia.

Good Morning Spokane did a segment on Marcus´ pilot study on Rolfing and cellulite.

The structure of the Rolfing series
Basic Rolfing usually consists of 10 sessions performed between twice a week to once per month. After an integration period, which may be six months to a year, clients often return for a short series of advanced Rolfing. One-session tune-ups are conducted to alleviate new problems.

Owen’s Rolfing

With more than 28 years of experience as a Rolfing practitioner, Owen Marcus has developed his own refinements of Rolfing. Through his graceful approach to Rolfing, it is possible to achieve significant changes with the minimal amount of effect.

Owen Marcus, MA is Certified Advance Rolfer in Sandpoint, ID. He has trained and employed other Rolfers in his integrative medical clinic in Scottsdale, AZ. He conducted Rolfing research with ASU and employed his Sports Rolfing approach on Olympic and professional athletes. His Rolfing sites are www.align.org and www.RolfBlog.com. He can be reached at 208.265.8440.