Excerpts from Wikipedia about Rolfing:

Ida Pauline Rolf developed a bodywork method in the early to mid 1940s with the goal of organizing the human structure in relation to gravity. This method was originally called Postural Release and later Structural Integration of the Human Body.

In 1971, Rolf founded The Rolf Institute of Structural Integration.
The Rolf Institute and a number of other schools, including the Guild for Structural Integration, Kinesis Myofascial Integration and Hellerwork Structural Integration, currently teach methods similar to the method presented by Rolf.

Theory and practice

Rolf theorized that ‘bound up’ fascia (or connective tissue) often restricts opposing muscles from functioning in concert with one another, much in the way water, having crystallized, forms hard, unyielding ice. Her practice aimed to separate bound up fascia by deeply separating the fibers manually to loosen them and allow effective movement patterns. Rolf believed that an adequate knowledge of living human anatomy and hands-on training were required in order to safely negotiate the appropriate manipulations and depths necessary to free the bound-up fascia.

Rolfers often prescribe a sequence of ten sessions to “balance and optimize both the structure (shape) and function (movement) of the entire body,” usually beginning with the feet. The theory is that “only by bringing peace ‘from the ground up’ can problems higher in the body be ‘under-stood’”.

During a Rolfing session, a client generally lies down and is guided through specific movements. The Rolfer manipulates the fascia until it can operate in conjunction with the muscles in a “normal” fashion. This takes place over a course of ten 75- to 90-minute sessions, with a specific goal for each session, and an overall goal of cumulative results. Some clients find Rolfing painful, but Rolfing has evolved over the decades into a practice far more gentle than in its early origins.

For more information about Rolfing or Structural Integration please visit these sites:
www.rolf.org
www.rolfing.org