Smyth Rolfing

Three years ago, Vic Buus went through a pair of $100 sneakers every few months. Born with cerebral palsy, he walked on his tiptoes, scraping his feet across the ground. With each step, he was wearing down his soles:

Now Buus, of Lebanon, has more of a heel-to-toe gait. He's using muscles he didn't know existed, and is rediscovering some he hasn't used for 20 years. He has all but eliminated the shoe-to-asphalt abrasion, decreasing his footwear budget considerably.

He credits his Rolfer.

Named for Ida P. Rolf, Ph.D.,who died in 1979 the Rolf Method of Structural Integration, as it came to be known, is a realignment of the skeletal structure by stretching the fascia, or connective tissue.

A Rolfer believes that by lengthening the connective tissue and eliminating the causes of skeletal misalignment, the body will be allowed to return to good natural posture. That in turn, is expected to generate an overall improvement in physical and emotional wellbeing.

Yet the technique, and its practitioners, are not common. Several local doctors contacted for this story knew little about Rolfmg. But those who've been under the Rolfer's thumb cite the benefits, even though the treatments can be painful and aren't covered by insurance.

Buus began seeing George Smyth, the only certified Rolfer practicing in Lancaster County, after his doctors told him at age 22 to give in to his cerebral palsy and retire to a wheelchair. Now, three years later and by choice no longer under the care of a physician he's glad he didn't heed their advice. Originally referred to Smyth by Dr. Dennis Gilbert of Elizabethtown, Buus said his mobility doubled after one Rolfing session. "I couldn't believe the difference," he said. Since that time, he has seen progressive increases in flexibility and mobility. Rolfing practitioners say deep tissue manipulation is much more than a massage.

Cerebral palsy caused sensory abnormalities, partial loss of movement, and increased muscle tone in Buus' legs and one arm. When he learned to walk at age 4, he used only the muscles that functioned, and worked around those that didn't.

The unused muscles eventually atrophied and the others stayed piano-string tight. "I got tired of having no flexibility," Buus said. "I kept losing my balance. I was frustrated."

Although Rolfing won't cure his cerebral palsy, Buus' bimonthly treatments are helping his wasted and watertight muscles become elongated and relaxed.

"The first session was the most dramatic," Buus said "but each time I go, I can see a difference. Bit by bit, I'm gaining flexibility. I can do things so much easier and quicker now."

Even Smyth, of Marietta, was a client before becoming a Rolfer. After a whiplash injury caused him chronic pain, he went to see a Rolfer in Philadelphia. "After the first session," Smyth said, "I knew there were changes taking place." At the time, he was working in the nuclear power field, but was so impressed with the results, he decided to become a Rolfer. He attended the Rolf Institute in Boulder, Colo., became certified in 2 1/2 years, and opened his own practice in 1988.

Most of Smyth's clients go to him for relief from chronic pain. They want greater range of motion and physical endurance. He said he meets with the clients, discusses their concerns, observes their body structure and mechanics and talks about what they are expecting.

"I watch for patterns of energy, watch how they walk, look for a shoulder or hip that is lower than the other, and talk about what is bothering them," Smyth said. Once the path of treatment has been determined, Smyth begins the hands-on therapy. "Fingers and thumbs wear out quickly," Smyth said. "I use my forearms for a broader sweep and my elbows for more intense pressure."

During a Rolfing session, the patient lies down or sits. The Rolfer kneads, prods, pulls and lifts the muscles to stretch and lengthen connective tissue. The sessions last an hour, with a recommendation of a 10-session series. Client visits can be weekly or monthly, and are followed with periodic tune-ups if needed. "If we treated our bodies like cars," Smyth said, "we would run a lot better."

Tim Kauffman, physical therapist with Kauffman-Gamber Physical Therapy, said there is a place for techniques like Rolfing. He said everyone has the same biochemical makeup, and that body alignment is important to human physiology. "There's nothing mystical or magical about it," Kauffman said. "It clearly works."

He noted, however, that patient responses vary with different treatments. And, he said, there can be problems when patients swear allegiance to one technique and try nothing else."The patient may have some desires for things to happen that won't," Kauffman said. "The person with multiple sclerosis will not have the disease go away. The child with cerebral palsy will still have cerebral palsy."

Kauffman said the practitioner must explain the parameters of the technique up front. There can be no false claims. "They cannot work miracles," he said. "The practice must be kept at the point of trying to realign the body." "Damage is possible," he added, "but not typical. They are not going to tear the muscles apart. A skilled practitioner would know to back off."

Gilbert is a former orthopedic and now a family practice osteopath with an emphasis on alternative medicine. He is also one Smyth's satisfied clients, having turned to Rolfing after finding no other relief for chronic back problems. He said the treatments are painful, though they always work.

Another client, Anne Rogers, of East Petersburg, said that she is sore the day after a session. The stretching of the muscles and the deep manipulation can cause light bruising, stiffness and soreness.

Otherwise, said Judi Hickes, physical therapist with Byers-Basciano physical therapy, there are definite benefits to deep tissue manipulation, followed up by an exercise plan to keep the muscles pliable. "Rolfers go much deeper than someone doing a massage," she said. "Deep tissue therapy gets down into the muscles. It increases circulation, releases tension relaxes the muscles."
Although Western medicine is not completely comfortable with the technique, Kauffman said, "it is legitimate. 1 don't put a big beware sign on this, this is not snake oil."

Lancaster doctors are not well versed in the technique. Several orthopedic surgeons and sports medicine doctors contacted for this article did not know enough about it to comment.

"Mainstream medicine is still in the Dark Ages in many ways"' said Gilbert. "We tend to believe we are the latest and greatest but I believe there is a lot to learn."

She had been living with constant pain after a car accident 15 years ago. She tried everything to find relief, seeing up to 17 specialists at a time.

At the suggestion of her physical therapist, she started seeing Smyth and got immediate results. "It was wonderful," Rogers said. "I started coming every two weeks."

She was suffering from migraines every time there was a change in barometric pressure. She had neck pain and tendinitis.

"I'm 48 years old and was feeling like an invalid," she said. "Now I leave feeling relaxed, my pain and migraines are gone."



			The Lowdown On a Deep Rubdown This article appeared in the Sunday News August 24th, 1997 By E.A.Hagen

			Rolfing is designed to relieve tension and reposition muscles. The technique can hurt, but advocates arn't complaining.
		Three years ago, Vic Buus went through a pair of $100 sneakers every few months. Born with cerebral palsy, he walked on his tiptoes, scraping his feet across the ground. With each step, he was wearing down his soles: Now Buus, of Lebanon, has more of a heel-to-toe gait. He's using muscles he didn't know existed, and is rediscovering some he hasn't used for 20 years. He has all but eliminated the shoe-to-asphalt abrasion, decreasing his footwear budget considerably. He credits his Rolfer. Named for Ida P. Rolf, Ph.D.,who died in 1979 the Rolf Method of Structural Integration, as it came to be known, is a realignment of the skeletal structure by stretching the fascia, or connective tissue. A Rolfer believes that by lengthening the connective tissue and eliminating the causes of skeletal misalignment, the body will be allowed to return to good natural posture. That in turn, is expected to generate an overall improvement in physical and emotional wellbeing. Yet the technique, and its practitioners, are not common. Several local doctors contacted for this story knew little about Rolfmg. But those who've been under the Rolfer's thumb cite the benefits, even though the treatments can be painful and aren't covered by insurance. Buus began seeing George Smyth, the only certified Rolfer practicing in Lancaster County, after his doctors told him at age 22 to give in to his cerebral palsy and retire to a wheelchair. Now, three years later and by choice no longer under the care of a physician he's glad he didn't heed their advice. Originally referred to Smyth by Dr. Dennis Gilbert of Elizabethtown, Buus said his mobility doubled after one Rolfing session. "I couldn't believe the difference," he said. Since that time, he has seen progressive increases in flexibility and mobility. Rolfing practitioners say deep tissue manipulation is much more than a massage. Cerebral palsy caused sensory abnormalities, partial loss of movement, and increased muscle tone in Buus' legs and one arm. When he learned to walk at age 4, he used only the muscles that functioned, and worked around those that didn't. The unused muscles eventually atrophied and the others stayed piano-string tight. "I got tired of having no flexibility," Buus said. "I kept losing my balance. I was frustrated." Although Rolfing won't cure his cerebral palsy, Buus' bimonthly treatments are helping his wasted and watertight muscles become elongated and relaxed. "The first session was the most dramatic," Buus said "but each time I go, I can see a difference. Bit by bit, I'm gaining flexibility. I can do things so much easier and quicker now." Even Smyth, of Marietta, was a client before becoming a Rolfer. After a whiplash injury caused him chronic pain, he went to see a Rolfer in Philadelphia. "After the first session," Smyth said, "I knew there were changes taking place." At the time, he was working in the nuclear power field, but was so impressed with the results, he decided to become a Rolfer. He attended the Rolf Institute in Boulder, Colo., became certified in 2 1/2 years, and opened his own practice in 1988. Most of Smyth's clients go to him for relief from chronic pain. They want greater range of motion and physical endurance. He said he meets with the clients, discusses their concerns, observes their body structure and mechanics and talks about what they are expecting. "I watch for patterns of energy, watch how they walk, look for a shoulder or hip that is lower than the other, and talk about what is bothering them," Smyth said. Once the path of treatment has been determined, Smyth begins the hands-on therapy. "Fingers and thumbs wear out quickly," Smyth said. "I use my forearms for a broader sweep and my elbows for more intense pressure." During a Rolfing session, the patient lies down or sits. The Rolfer kneads, prods, pulls and lifts the muscles to stretch and lengthen connective tissue. The sessions last an hour, with a recommendation of a 10-session series. Client visits can be weekly or monthly, and are followed with periodic tune-ups if needed. "If we treated our bodies like cars," Smyth said, "we would run a lot better." Tim Kauffman, physical therapist with Kauffman-Gamber Physical Therapy, said there is a place for techniques like Rolfing. He said everyone has the same biochemical makeup, and that body alignment is important to human physiology. "There's nothing mystical or magical about it," Kauffman said. "It clearly works." He noted, however, that patient responses vary with different treatments. And, he said, there can be problems when patients swear allegiance to one technique and try nothing else."The patient may have some desires for things to happen that won't," Kauffman said. "The person with multiple sclerosis will not have the disease go away. The child with cerebral palsy will still have cerebral palsy." Kauffman said the practitioner must explain the parameters of the technique up front. There can be no false claims. "They cannot work miracles," he said. "The practice must be kept at the point of trying to realign the body." "Damage is possible," he added, "but not typical. They are not going to tear the muscles apart. A skilled practitioner would know to back off." Gilbert is a former orthopedic and now a family practice osteopath with an emphasis on alternative medicine. He is also one Smyth's satisfied clients, having turned to Rolfing after finding no other relief for chronic back problems. He said the treatments are painful, though they always work. Another client, Anne Rogers, of East Petersburg, said that she is sore the day after a session. The stretching of the muscles and the deep manipulation can cause light bruising, stiffness and soreness. Otherwise, said Judi Hickes, physical therapist with Byers-Basciano physical therapy, there are definite benefits to deep tissue manipulation, followed up by an exercise plan to keep the muscles pliable. "Rolfers go much deeper than someone doing a massage," she said. "Deep tissue therapy gets down into the muscles. It increases circulation, releases tension relaxes the muscles." Although Western medicine is not completely comfortable with the technique, Kauffman said, "it is legitimate. 1 don't put a big beware sign on this, this is not snake oil." Lancaster doctors are not well versed in the technique. Several orthopedic surgeons and sports medicine doctors contacted for this article did not know enough about it to comment. "Mainstream medicine is still in the Dark Ages in many ways"' said Gilbert. "We tend to believe we are the latest and greatest but I believe there is a lot to learn." She had been living with constant pain after a car accident 15 years ago. She tried everything to find relief, seeing up to 17 specialists at a time. At the suggestion of her physical therapist, she started seeing Smyth and got immediate results. "It was wonderful," Rogers said. "I started coming every two weeks." She was suffering from migraines every time there was a change in barometric pressure. She had neck pain and tendinitis. "I'm 48 years old and was feeling like an invalid," she said. "Now I leave feeling relaxed, my pain and migraines are gone."