Rolfing® Testimonials back to home page

The following is a collection of stories from people that I have worked with using the deep tissue bodywork methods of Rolfing® Structural Integration. The people that have written the stories come from a variety of backgrounds ranging from competitive athletes to computer operators. In their own words, they tell what the Rolfing® series has done for them and how it changed their lives.

I’d like to thank those people that contributed their stories to me. The changes they experienced could not have happened without their willingness to want to change. It was my honor to have worked with people dedicated to their own health and their bodies.

Mike’s Story… Fort Collins, CO

I came to Rolfing via my massage therapist. She had reached a point in the treatment of my left shoulder and arm numbness and suggested I visit Larry. Prior to starting Rolfing I visited the standard medical practices and was x-rayed and given anti-inflammatory medication. I wasn't comfortable taking their meds, so I sought Rolfing as a means to treat the weakness and numbness in the shoulder and left arm.

Initially my body was very tight, extremely inflexible. During the sessions, I became aware of how I am connected muscularly. I learned more about how I move and breathe and what effects that has on my body. The level of intensity was significantly greater than the massage work that I had received. There was also the element of participating in the process. I could actually feel release in the muscle.

After Rolfing, I noticed that my left shoulder had increased in strength and actually returned to normal. I noticed that my strength increased during weightlifting along with greatly increasing my flexibility.

I would recommend Rolfing to anyone, who may be having a problem, or to increase your flexibility or become more familiar with your body.

Kathy’s story…Greeley, CO

A couple of years ago I was having a lot of trouble with my feet - no arches and heel spurs. Very painful! I had been to Larry for your basic body massage but had never thought about him for foot treatments until my podiatrist started talking about expensive orthotics and possibly even surgery. When I questioned my doctor about Rolfing as an alternative, she thought it would be a good idea and would probably help me a lot.

Basically I had been your typical middle-aged body that hasn't been taken care of; stuck behind a desk, hunched over a keyboard for many years; wearing all those 'stylish' shoes...I didn't know the effect it was having on my body until I started the Rolfing sessions.

A LOT happened during the sessions! I had more energy. My co-workers kept commenting on my appearance. "You look taller." "Are you losing weight?" I heard these things on a daily basis! I could walk without any pain. I slept better at night. I just plain felt better! What I noticed most of all was the freedom of movement, my clothes were loose, my feet didn't hurt, I was actually taller, and my digestion was better.

As I stated before, I had only had standard body massages. While they feel great, the benefits are not long-term. The Rolfing did not always feel good during the sessions, and occasionally I'd be sore the following day, but once the soreness went away, I could enjoy the newfound movements the sessions had given me. When was the last time I could touch my toes? The strangest part of Rolfing, feeling everything moving inside of me! I was amazed when Larry would be working on one part of my body and I could feel the movement in a totally different area.

I have recommended Larry and Rolfing to several people. I carry several of Larry's cards and pass them out quite often. I also encourage them to visit Larry's website to learn more about Rolfing.

Peter’s story…Germany

Larry was my Rolfer for my 10 sessions. Coming from a different culture (German) and being in a foreign environment, I was quite sensitive. Larry adjusted to this vulnerability very quickly and built an environment of genuine trust and care. His excellent observation skills helped him to locate my "areas for improvement" well and to the point. Larry has a very good, a very skillful touch, 

Stan’s Story…Windsor, CO

There were two reasons that I went to try Rolfing. Both of those problems were causing me daily pain and making it difficult to sleep.

The first was the Sciatic Nerve in my right leg, a real pain in the a__. Over the past 6 years it had been getting progressively worse, and had reached a point where I was uncomfortable every day. It was so bad that I could not drive to and from work (6 miles) without pain shooting down my right leg. I had been to see a doctor and a physical therapist for the problem. They gave me several stretching exercises that helped some, but I always had some flare-ups and driving any distance was out of the question. After each Rolfing session Larry worked on the Sciatic, I noticed that there were fewer and fewer flare-ups. It has been over two months since our last session and I have not had one flare up that I can remember. It is fun to drive again.

The other problem that I was having was the Rotator Cuff in my right shoulder. Due to an injury I sustained in in-door soccer two years ago, I had not been able to throw or lift my arm. Remembering the first session when Larry had me attempt to lift both arms above my head, I didn't do to well. Anyway, after the two sessions where you worked on my rib cage (my favorite!) and where you opened the shoulder to re-align the rotator cuff, the shoulder has been getting better. I am again able to throw over hand, lift the arm above my head, and include
the bench press in my workouts. I have increased the weight that I bench press by 60%, no pain! The greatest benefit has to be that I now sleep through the night without pain.

I continue to use the body awareness that you teach during the sessions. I swear that it makes a difference in the way I feel. I keep in mind the alignment of my body when walking and sitting, making my head and spine elongate along a centerline. Thanks.

Danny’s Story…Fort Collins, CO

Rolfing was first brought to my attention by my chiropractor due to a car accident that caused whiplash. I considered my body before Rolfing to be in good shape being a former body builder, but I did struggle with aches, pains, and poor posture.

During the sessions the symptoms from whiplash got much better and I was completely amazed at the changes in how I felt and how I began to carry myself.

I would highly recommend Rolfing to anyone and I have to everyone. I plan on making Rolfing a part of my lifestyle.

Anna’s Story…Fort Collins, CO

I've been Rolfed.

Usually the first question the people ask me after I say that I have been Rolfed is, "Did it hurt a lot?"

When I answer quite truthfully, "Not at all," I am sometimes greeted with skeptical looks. I had the same misconception about Rolfing when I first arrived at the office of Larry Koliha; a Certified Rolfer trained at the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration in Boulder, Colorado. On our first visit, Larry asked me what I knew about Rolfing. I answered that I understood it was a method for manipulating the soft tissue of the body to realign the skeletal system and improve posture. And that it might hurt quite a bit.

"Well, the first statement is true, and the second one is not necessarily true," he replied. He told me that over the last twenty years Rolfing has evolved quite a bit. Practitioners have learned there are usually multiple ways to access muscle areas that are holding the body in incorrect postures. If approaching a reluctant muscle group one way causes a lot of pain; an alternative method usually can be found.

I came to Larry looking for a cure. He told me right up front that he couldn't promise one. Rolfers, he said, do not offer to "cure" specific ailments. He explained very clearly and patiently what he could do—what Rolfers are trained to do. What Rolfers do has two aspects to it: the physical, hands-on part, and the educational part.

For the physical part, he could perform ten sessions of Rolfing, wherein he would balance the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of my body, which hold the skeleton and organs together. These adjustments, made in a specific sequence, help to pull the body back into proper alignment.

The educational component, Larry said, was a bit harder to explain. He called it "teaching body awareness," and admitted that a lot of people have a hard time imagining what that really means. After all, aren't we all aware that we have bodies already? The answer is one of those "yes and no" statements. Human beings are incredibly adaptable. It's one of our strengths as a species. Compared to some of the more brutal things our species can endure, the eight hours a day you might spend hunched over your computer terminal or standing on a concrete floor punching the buttons on a cash register seem positively benign.

Despite Larry's initial disclaimer that Rolfers do not offer cures, he admitted that some people with chronic musculoskeletal complaints have been known to obtain some improvement from Rolfing. In fact, I had done some online research prior to contacting Larry, and I was aware of several clinical trials that showed Rolfing to have benefited people with hip and lower back pain. Some of the studies included x-rays of the patient's skeletal structures both before and after ten sessions of Rolfing, and clearly demonstrated normalization of abnormal degrees of pelvic tilt after treatment. Because I knew that my own chronic pain situation -- a condition called repetitive strain injury -- stemmed in part from postural problems, I felt that Rolfing was worth a try for me.

So, what was it like? Mostly, it felt like deep tissue massage—the applied pressure felt great on sore muscles. I was often so relaxed I would sometimes drift in and out of sleep state, especially at the end of the session. I should mention that I also had to participate in the process, both by following instructions—for instance, I had to press back against Larry’s hand-applied pressure to stretch out the vertebrae and by giving him feedback on my sensations as he worked.

I won’t claim that I have been "cured" of my repetitive strain injury problems. But I have made enormous progress. At the end of 10 sessions, I was able to perform tasks I had been unable to engage in without worsening my pain. Today, approximately a year and a half since completing the last of the 10 sessions, I still feel that I am progressing. I credit much of this to having done the Rolfing. Now and then, I catch myself clenching some muscle group in my body, and recognizing that I am not using these muscles for any real purpose, and I am able to relax them. This is a lasting result of the "body awareness training" which helps me continue to improve.

I would recommend Rolfing to anyone with health issues related to posture and movement pattern. If I were a wealthy person, I would make a gift of 10 sessions of Rolfing to all of my friends and family members. Because Rolfing not only doesn’t hurt—it feels great!

Home page