Jenna Syverson Certified Rolfer, Peoria

At 16, Jenna Syverson could barely lift a glass of water. Her hopes for a collegiate swimming career were also dimming, all because of a shoulder injury that caused intense pain. Her physical therapist, chiropractor, and massage therapist were all flummoxed, but after one session of Rolfing, she was back in the pool with no pain. She continued treatment, swam through her degree in exercise science at the University of New Mexico, and wasted no time enrolling at the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration just two weeks after graduation.

Today, she helps others shuffle off pain with Rolfing, a massage modality that focuses on restoring alignment. During first sessions, she assesses each clients’ past and present health, as well as their goals. Patients perform simple balance tests that involve standing, sitting, and dancing the charleston on a treadmill so she can observes patterns of movement that reveal inner misalignments. This guides her bodywork, which focuses on manipulating the fascia to ease nerve inflammation, free restricted tissues, and encourage unimpeded movement.