Rolfing for Children

Each of us, from the day we are born, are challenged by gravity.  Our spines may have exaggerated curves or scoliosis, our pelvis or shoulders may be uneven.  Our heads may be forward or our belly protruded. We might wish that we felt more graceful and grounded in our bodies.  This ease and stability arise from a balanced relationship with gravity.

How do babies and children develop structural imbalances?  In utero, the amniotic fluid mitigates some, but not all, of the affects of the earth’s gravitational field.

Some structural rotations develop in this early stage of life.  Late in pregnancy, the fetus often has her knees bent up and by the head, with the head off to one side.  As the pregnancy progresses, this compact and static position can create rotation (subtle or severe) in the structure. 

Once born, we continue to respond to gravity throughout our lives.  It is normal for babies, toddlers and children to experience physical injuries as they push their limits.  Physical injuries (large or small) create pain and often myofascial  shortening.  The child ignores the pain and continues to strike out in the world, adapting their body to compensate.  That is; in response to pain, we hold the injured part rigid and we favor the opposite side.  Our movement patterns become altered and over time, we develop shortenings in the soft tissue, which distort the structural pattern.

Emotional trauma also affects the structure.  A child who is yelled at or criticized constantly might hold their breath, raise their shoulders and lower their heads protectively. Over time, this pattern becomes recorded in the structure; the neck and shoulder fascia shortens and thickens, “cementing” this physical relationship.  This change in structure can ”lock in” the emotional injury as well. Feelings of embarrassment and inadequacy may become part of the child’s baseline emotional state.

In these formative years, babies and children develop patterns that often persist throughout life.  With a small amount of input, Rolfing balances the tensions in the myofacial network.  As the structure becomes better integrated, it becomes better organized in gravity.   The improvements to posture, movement and self-confidence can be far reaching.