In 1920, Dr. Ida P. Rolf received a doctorate in biochemistry from Columbia University and continued study in organic chemistry at the Rockefeller Institute. Her search for solutions to family health problems led her to study many health systems, including yoga, osteopathy and chiropractic care to understand the effects of structure on bodily functions. Through her work a system emerged which Dr. Rolf called structural integration. This holistic approach to physical wellness was the basis for the now popular Rolfing techniques.
How Rolfing works:

Dr. Rolf believed that the body needed to be in tune with gravity and so she developed a series of gentle techniques where the therapist works with deep myofascial structures to relax the body. Joint Mobilization Techniques are a range of soft tissue techniques that release motion restrictions impeding whole body organization. When these techniques are combined in a series of Rolfing sessions, the body becomes tuned with gravity and functions properly. Rolfing must be done by a professional trained at the Rolfing Institute.