What is Structural Integration?

Myofascial bodywork focused on easing postural and structural imbalances to restore ease of movement, increase range of motion and resolve chronic myofascial pain.

Structural integration is received in 3 or 12 appointments.

Each appointment has specified areas of focus and deals with a different fascial plane (working progressively from superficial fascial layers to deep) as well as a different set of relationships in the body.

Systematic Approach

Structural Integration differs from other manual therapy approaches in that it takes the positioning of the joints into consideration when creating a treatment plan. The area that is most bothersome or symptomatic for the client, may not be where the structural integration practitioner chooses to work.

Each appointment builds upon the last and has a specific area of interest.

This differs from relaxation or deep tissue massage where the client decides where to focus the treatment.

What is Fascia?

Fascia is a type of connective tissue.

It is similar to the white stuff in an orange that keeps everything together. Its thick on the outside and encompasses all of the slices, each slice is held together by the white stuff, and it's also entwined throughout the slice giving it form and strength.

This is essentially what fascia does for our muscles. It encompasses each muscles and keeps it connected and communicating with all of the tissues and structures around it.

Fascia can become stiff and rigid due to injury or postural habits and pull our musculoskeletal system out of alignment.

Structural Integration observes and assesses each clients structure individually and applies myofascial techniques to the areas that are the most restricted and contributing to poor alignment.

Body Reading

Body reading is a visual standing assessment to see how the joints are positioned in relation to each other.

Each appointment begins with a body reading to find where each clients most stuck areas are, and develop a personalized treatment plan based on what we find.

During body reading the practitioner will ask the client to perform small movement to help find which areas feel restricted to the client and which areas are visibly restricted to the practitioner.

The practitioner will also check for bony landmarks to assess how bones are aligning with eachother.

All of this information is used to create a treatment plan tailored to the client.

Differences between
Relaxation/ Deep Tissue Massage & Structural Integration

Relaxation and deep tissue massage are incredibly beneficial for numerous reasons including that they can be received regularly throughout life for stress and muskuloskeletal pain management.

Structrual Integration is different in that it is not meant to be an ongoing therapy. After the 12 series, clients are advised to only return once or twice a year for a 'tune-up', and to wait 6 months to a year after completing a series before doing so.

Others may only receive the 12 series once and go on to another maintenance routine such as yoga, pilates, martial arts, a workout routine or any movement practice that works for them.

Anatomy Trains Structural Integration Explained by ATSI

Anatomy Trains Structural Integration springs from the pioneering work of Dr Ida P Rolf, as developed, by Thomas Myers. ATSI consists of a multi-session protocol (usually 12) of deep, slow fascial and myofascial manipulation, coupled with movement re- education. ATSI is one of a number of schools that train practitioners in ‘Structural Integration’, Ida Rolf’s name for her own work. Structural Integration is practiced as an old-world craft with a 21st century comprehension of how your body structure works.

The ATSI ‘brand’ of structural integration concentrates on doing deep, lasting, and significant work, with anatomical precision, blended with movement and sensitivity to the unfolding individual experience. The ATSI‘recipe’ for structural integration is based around the “Anatomy Trains Myofascial Meridians”comcept, which are explored in the book written by Thomas Myers, published

by Harcourt Brace (Elsevier) in 2001 and a 2nd edition in 2008.

The design of ATSI is to unwind the strain patterns residing in your body’s locomotor system, restoring it to its natural balance, alignment, length, and ease. Common strain patterns come about from inefficient movement habits, and our body’s response to poorly designed cars, desks, telephones, and airplanes, etc. Individual strain patterns come from imitation when we are young, from the invasions of injury or surgery or birth, and from our body’s response to traumatic episodes. Beginning as a simple gesture of response, movements can become a neuromuscular habit.

The habitual movement forms one’s posture, and the posture requires changes in the structure – the body’s connective tissue ‘fabric’. In other words, a gesture becomes a habit becomes a posture and eventually lodges in our structure.

These changes are rarely for the better – anything that pulls us out of alignment means that gravity works on pulling us into more misalignment or increased tension to counteract the force.

Compensation begets compensation, and more symptoms.

ATSI is designed to unwind this process and reduce structural stress.

The method depends on a unique property of the body’s connective tissue network.

Connective tissue is a remarkably versatile bit of biology. It forms every supportive tissue from the fluid blood to the solid bone, and a host of sheets, straps, and slings in between. The muscular tissue moves us around, but it works through the connective tissue fascia, tendons, and the ligaments at every turn, and it is the connective tissue complex that holds us in the shape we are in. When we are injured or stressed, no matter what the source, there is a neuromuscular response – usually involving some combination of contraction, retraction, immobility, and often rotation.

These patterns put some muscles under strain (where they develop painful trigger points) and also pulls at this fascial fabric, requiring it to shift, thicken, glue itself to surrounding structures, and otherwise compensate for the excess sustained muscular holding.

Especially for chronic and long-held patterns, it is not enough to release the muscular holding, though that is definitely a good start. Freeing and repositioning the fascial fabric, along with re-integrating the movement patterns so that they stay easily in their proper positioning, is the job of ATSI. In this sense, ATSI could be seen as a companion to osteopathic or chiropractic care, but instead of thrusting the bones back into place, we adjust the fascial ‘guy-wires’ so that they stay in place – the new alignment simply becomes part of who you are, not something you have to work at or repeatedly see a practitioner to maintain.

The ATSI “brand” of Structural Integration is different from other comparable trainings such as those offered by the Rolf Institute, Hellerwork, or the Guild for Structural Integration.

ATSI uses a wide “vocabulary” of touch, not just deep work, to evoke lasting and progressive change in body pattern.
ATSI’s method of “bodyreading” (visual analysis) is logical and coherent, unfolding the skill step-by-step.
ATSI’s “recipe” for the unfolding of the sessions is based around the Anatomy Trains Myofascial Meridians.
ATSI proceeds from a deep understanding of “issues in tissues” (the emotional underpinnings of patterns in body carriage and tension), hence our tagline, “Map the pattern, shape the change”.

Basing the sessions around the body’s myofascial continuities ensures that 1) the entire body is covered through the series, 2) clear session strategies allow for individual patterns and preferences, and 3) our work is easily explainable to other health professionals.

Does Structural Integration hurt?

When working with the myofascia we are also working with the nervous system. Fascia and muscles are highly responsive to the state of our nervous system.

Therefor, the intention is to help the nervous system feel safe as we work with the fascia. If we experience pain that causes us to clench it can cause the nervous system to guard, which is counter productive to our goals.

While structural integration focuses on the most stuck areas of myofascia, that can be sensationful and may bring feelings of discomfort as areas are released, it is counter productive for the client to be bracing and/or feeling pain is being inflicted.

Communication is important to understand how the work is being received and which areas are significant for you.

I always do my best to check in with my clients and ensure the techniques are not beyond their comfort level. Pain is not required for the work to be effective and can be counter productive. Your honest feedback is always helpful and appreciated.