Structural Integration for Chronic Low Back Pain

Inclusion Criteria: * Chronic low back pain patient-rated \>=3 on a VAS (0-10) with retrospective duration of at least 6 months * Low back pain attributed to mechanical as opposed to infectious, neoplastic or inflammatory causes * Age 18-65 * English speaking * Male or female * Mental capacity sufficient to provide informed consent * Able to commit to up to 27 study meetings over a period of 5 months. Exclusion Criteria: * Impairment of hearing, speech, vision, mobility or English fluency sufficient to interfere with participation in the study * Current or anticipated receipt of payments from Workmen's Compensation or other insurance for disability attributed to low back pain. * Reports any prior treatment with Structural Integration (Rolf or other varieties, including "structural massage") * Plans to initiate additional treatment for back pain during the period of the study other than usual rehabilitation care provided at Spaulding Medford clinic, particularly massage or other manual therapy (e.g. chiropractic, osteopathic) * Unresolved musculoskeletal pathology of the lower limbs * Pregnancy * Clinical judgment by Spaulding Medford medical director that the candidate will require either surgery or epidural analgesia within the next five months. * Alcohol of substance abuse * Any implanted medical device (e.g. cardio-pacemaker, shunts) * Prior discectomy or implantation of rods, screws or plates (bulging disc without radicular pain is not exclusionary; hip or shoulder replacement is not exclusionary) * Current medication with coumadin or prednisone, chronic use of steroid medications, daily use of narcotic analgesics. * Current diagnosis with any of the following 1. Balance problems due to vestibular or other neurological impairments 2. Osteoporosis (osteopenia is not exclusionary) 3. Fibromyalgia 4. Severe or progressive neurological deficits, including neuromotor impairment 5. Any hypercoagulation condition 6. Eczema, skin infections, deep vein thrombosis 7. Burns or other acute trauma including unhealed bone fractures or open wounds. 8. Psychiatric illness not well controlled, or current episode of exacerbated major depressive disorder. * Any other major medical condition that has not been stabilized, or that would impair the patient's ability to complete the activities required by the study * Body Mass Index \>= 40