How Rolfing helped me keep my passion for trail running alive.

I am a trail runner, I love exploring mountains into places where only my heart, lungs and legs can take me. This past Fall I injured my big toe, which affected my gait for several weeks. Then my left calf wasn’t activating and became a limiting problem with anything over 5 miles (normally I don’t have any problem with 10-20 mile trail runs). I felt the frustration of not being able to trust my legs to take me more than 5 miles without problems a feeling I’ve never felt before. I became desperate to find a solution. I looked into chiropractic care and massage therapy and while inquiring about them, I found out about Rolfing therapy during a 30 second side conversation about massage therapy.

Upon researching Rolfing therapy, I learned Rolfers specialize in assisting fascia to reset–to put it simply. Facia covers all muscles and organs. That sounded like just what my calf needed. As Rolfing entered into my vocabulary and I had begun searching for a Rolfer, my calf began to activate while I was doing calf raises. Even though I was finally feeling better on that front, at that point I had learned enough to be excited to see what Rolfing could do for my body to assist in keeping me tuned up to be able to continue doing the things I enjoy.

Finding “The Center for Well Being” was a huge blessing! While Dick does a wide range of specialized therapies, he told me that Rolfing is his favorite therapy because of the vast quality-of-life changes he gets to be a part of. His years of experience shined bright to me after just one of 10 sessions (one per week). After just the first session my neck and shoulders were aligned close to where they should be. Dick helped me see the sharp contrast of before and after, especially in my shoulders, by having me look at them after he had worked on just the left side of my body–my left shoulder was finally where it should be but my right shoulder was slumped forward as it had been (of course, he didn’t let me leave before he worked on the other side as well).

To put this in perspective, let me say I have appreciated Chiropractor care over the years, but every Chiropractor I’ve had always told me my neck and shoulders weren’t where they should be; but even after doing their intensive plan, my neck and shoulders have never gotten to the place they desired them to be (over the last 15 years I’ve done a complete intensive, chiropractic plan at least three times).

After ONE session of Rolfing, Dick got my neck and shoulders in, or at least very near, their ideal positioning and was improved upon throughout the rest of the sessions. That was something Dick had said we’d able to accomplish by the end of the 10 sessions, but then proved it. While I would guess not everyone may see this huge of a change after just one session, this made me a believer in Dick’s giftedness as a Rolfer.

As a runner who has been working and striving to perfect my running form for years, I understand that I will run more efficiently and be more likely to stay injury free if my head, neck, and body are aligned and centered.

Dick explained that a simple sprained ankle will cause tightening of fascia around that area to protect the injury, and since our body is so good at adapting, a domino effect takes place slowly over time up the leg and even to the opposite side of the body (as one puts more weight on the uninjured side of the body). Eventually the tightened fascia here and there, in an attempt to rebalance an unbalanced body, may come out as a neck pain years down the road, as an example. Resetting the fascia, then, can undo years of damage from poor posture and accumulated injuries.

Dick even worked with me on ways to develop healthier habits to avoid issues that arise from poor posture and gave drills and feedback to assist in helping the Rolfing therapy solidify more strongly.

I finished the last of 10 sessions several weeks ago and my neck and shoulders are still balanced. I catch myself quicker when I am slipping into poor posture habits because Dick has helped me be more aware (and now I can feel the difference better).

What are the biggest noticeable changes for me? I am sleeping much more soundly–I’m not waking up multiple times in the night as I was. I feel more energy throughout the day. My running feels more efficient, I feel more balanced as I run. My feet land more centered as well.

Dick offers a free 30 minute consultation that is very informative. I encourage you to check this therapy out, Dick is a gifted Rolfer, you will be in good hands, literally.”