Fascia, or connective tissue, is a huge multidimensional web of tissue that weaves through every part of your body. On its most surface layer it fits like a stocking under your skin; but from there it dives deep to support every part of your structure. It supports and forms muscles, determines to a large degree how your bones are aligned, and even supports your organs. If you removed every part of your anatomy except for your fascia- you would have a vivid, multi-dimensional model of exactly how you look inside and out- please forgive the gross-out factor. It’s kind of like removing the juice from an orange, with all of the other structures totally undisturbed.

The thing about fascia that interests us Rolfers (and the number one genius discovery of Dr. Ida Rolf) is that it’s plastic, or changeable. In fact, it’s changing all the time. Unfortunately, not usually in ways we like. With accidents, injury, and stress the connective tissue shortens, glues, and splints your body. This is why, over a lifetime, we often become more hunched and less flexible. On the other hand, if you’re getting Rolfed, or engage regularly in lengthening forms of fitness (I’m a big fan of yoga, Gyrotonic, Pilates, and Continuum) you’ll be lengthening those fibers that have gotten short and glued over time, thereby restoring openness, balance, and length to your structure.