In Spacious Body: Explorations in Somatic Ontology, Jeffrey Maitland explored the philosophical implications of Rolfing, interrogating different kinds of will and showing how people can begin to understand their core fixations and conflicted orientations and move to creative transformations. His moving descriptions of healing showed how a new understanding of how the human body works can create a transformation of the spirit. In this new more physiological book, Maitland stays with the myofascial release techniques invented by Rolfing, but focuses the reader's attention on the problem of joint fixations which underlie many soft-tissue pain syndromes. His attention is especially on how to ease back pain and bring the body into a more comfortable alignment, because back pain is a major complaint dealt with by chiropractors, Rolfers, massage therapists, and physical therapists. Maitland shows how to elegantly releasejoint fixations in the spine, sacrum, pelvis, and ribcage by using subtle soft-tissue techniques, rather than the high-velocity low-amplitude thrusting techniques that "pop" the joints. This gentler kind of individualized Rolfing work is thoroughly described within an explanation of biomechanics, aided by drawings and photographs which depict techniques and anatomy.More Reviews and Recommendations

Jeffrey Maitland is director of academic affairs at the Rolf Institute in Scottsdale, AZ. He is the author of: Spacious Body: Explorations in Somatic Ontology.

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