Tight shoulders, sore neck? Old injuries still bothersome? Wanting to improve your posture, balance or coordination? Rolfing Structural Integration might be able to help.

Rolfing is a bodywork modality that blends hands-on manipulation with movement education. The primary focus is on the fascia—the connective tissue that permeates the entire body and largely contributes to our tendencies to move in certain ways over time—ways that don’t always lead to the most comfortable experience of the body.

The pace of touch in Rolfing sessions is often slower than what people might expect, in order to adjust to the pace of the lengthening fascia. There are some who think Rolfing needs to be a painful process, but open communication with the practitioner ensures that pressure stays within an effective yet comfortable realm.

A whole-body approach sets Rolfing apart from other modalities. Each session includes posture and movement analysis before and after the hands-on work, and clients frequently have few homework exercises/stretches to do in between sessions. Self-management is the goal.

By addressing the body in this systematic sequence designed by Dr. Ida Rolf, long-standing patterns of tension can unwind and be replaced by nourishing, fluid movement, often resulting in better posture, greater range of motion, less pain and tension, more energy and ease in daily life, and an improved ability to live life to the fullest.

Breana Larson practices Rolfing at Awaken for Wellness, 1821 St. Clair Ave., St. Paul. For more information call 218-251-7608, email BreanaLarson@gmail.com, and visit RolfingStPaul.com.