If you've checked out my book or any of my blog, you probably already know that I'm a big fan of alternative, complementary, and integrative therapies. And you're probably aware that I'm simmering with fury that the traditional medical community doesn't regularly recommend, refer, or even educate patients about them. Maybe they don't even know. Well, I am doing my part to spread the word. So here's the lowdown on my recent experience with Rolfing.
What is Rolfing?
If you've never heard of Rolfing, join to the club! It's not something that's on everyone's radar. That's probably why there are only two Rolfers in the whole city of Colorado Springs. I first heard about it from a talented massage therapist in Sedona, AZ, earlier this year. He suggested I give it a try. I'd heard of it before because my sister had it done a long time ago, but I hadn't actually tried it until now.
In a nutshell, Rolfing is a bodywork technique that helps realign the structures of the body. It was created by a woman named Ida Rolf, a biochemist who graduated from Columbia University more than 100 years ago. So this isn't some new-age trend -- it's been around for ages and it actually works. It's like a massage, but with the goal of making lasting changes to your body's structure. It's more than just relaxing and releasing muscle tension. It's a deep and sometimes intense practice that uses hands, knuckles, and elbows to work the fascia that connects everything in your body. A certified practitioner knows how far to push without making you miserable. They usually follow a 10-session plan that builds on each other, so it's not a lifelong commitment.
Breast cancer treatment and your body's response
Let's talk about why someone who's been through breast cancer treatment might benefit and why (9 years down the road) I still need such intensive manipulation.
When a woman goes through the mastectomy/radiation/reconstruction process, the three phases overlap. At the time of the bilateral mastectomy, all of breast tissue is removed from the chest wall with a technique called scraping -- from the collar bones down to the ribs and to the sides of the body. Afterward, the upper body is sore and has to remain fairly immobilized for a few weeks.
While they're doing the mastectomy, they also put in expanders to get the skin ready for the reconstruction later on. Then, a few weeks after the mastectomy, the plastic surgeon starts filling up those expanders with saline. Slowly but surely, the expanders get bigger until they reach the final size of the implants. But before they can switch to the implants, there's daily radiation (mine was six weeks).
Radiation therapy is super strong -- it's like a thousand suns. It's good for killing cancer cells, but it can also mess with the healthy tissue. It makes it all tight, hard to move, and smaller. So, while I was still getting used to my arms not moving freely, and my chest muscles and cartilage healing, and adapting to these tough expanders, all the tissues on my left side -- neck, shoulder, chest, and ribs -- were getting hit with radiation and feeling all its effects.
When the body goes through some serious stuff, it tries to look out for itself. So if you've had to deal with a mastectomy, radiation, and reconstruction all in a row, your shoulders might start to slouch forward to shield you from more trauma, which can lead to bad posture. And then, those expanders they put in? They're like, "Nope, your arms can't just hang naturally by your sides anymore." So, I had to either keep my arms in front or really arch my back to keep them behind. And let me tell you, it's not like I suddenly had huge beach balls on my chest, but they did take up some space where my arms usually chill. Trying to arch my back all the time was painful, so for about 9 months, I ended up hunching over just to give my arms a spot and my shoulder blades got used to being kinda stuck.
Just so you know, I was doing physical therapy, yoga therapy, manual therapy, and exercise therapy through all of this, but it was only covered by my insurance for a year. After that, I was on my own. I can handle exercises myself, but there's some deep work that needs done under the skin, with the fascia, to release tension and tightness. To really get the whole body sorted and make room for smooth movement, you need a pro. And that's where Rolfing comes in.
So, what's it like?
My first session earlier this month was like this: I was chilling on a massage table on my right side, just in my bra and undies, cozied up with a light blanket. Had my head on a pillow and some other pillows propping up my knees and midsection. The therapist, an expert with 25+ years of Rolfing under her belt, totally knew her stuff. She clocked my scoliosis, spotted my wonky knee, and saw my tight shoulder -- all without even touching me. When she did start working her magic, I was squirming, holding my breath, and fidgeting like crazy. She could totally tell I was feeling tenderness and discomfort. I hit my pain limit only twice in the 90-minute session, so she taught me this cool breathing trick that really helped. The rest of the time, it was just one notch below my max pain threshold.
What happens afterward?
I survived the session. Honestly, that was not the most enjoyable "massage" I've had. I was just relieved it was over for the day. But guess what? I'm going back in a few days. Maybe I'm a bit nuts, but I'm totally okay with enduring this temporary discomfort if it means my body will be realigned and I can move better and have good posture in the long run.
Before I took off, she gave me some exercises to do at home. Some of them involve lying flat on the bed, while others are standing exercises meant to activate certain muscles that aren't firing as well as they could. She also suggested that I take a stroll around the block before jumping into my car right away, to let the treatment settle in. I followed her advice and man, did I feel great! I walked away feeling a huge relief in my neck, upper back, left shoulder, left pec, and left ribs - sensations I hadn't experienced in years. Yep, I'm definitely a fan. Can't wait to finish up my 10-series, though!
Colorado College in Colorado Springs. My Rolfer lives in this area. Ain't it pretty? : )
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