Robert Schleip

Robert Schleip is a German psychologist, human biologist and author, best known for his research in the field of fascia. His work includes numerous scientific papers and books, which have contributed to the understanding of fascia and its role in musculoskeletal health. He serves as the Director of the Fascia Research Group at both the University of Ulm and the Technical University of Munich. Schleip is also the Founding Director of the Fascia Research Society, the Research Director of the European Rolfing Association and Vice President of the Ida P. Rolf Research Foundation.

Education
In 1978, Schleip became Germany's first certified Rolfer at the Rolf Institute and subsequently in 1983 became a Certified Advanced Rolfer in the field of Structural Integration.

Schleip graduated with a degree in psychology from the University of Heidelberg in 1980. From 1984 to 1987 he trained as a Feldenkrais teacher and became a Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner in the field of Sensorimotor Facilitation from International Feldenkrais Guild in 1987.

In 2006, he earned his doctorate in human biology with honors from the University of Ulm. For his thesis "Active fascial contractility: Fascia may be able to contract in a smooth muscle-like manner and thereby influence musculoskeletal dynamics", he received the "Vladimir Janda Prize for Musculoskeletal Medicine".

In 2023, he was awarded the title of Professor by the Diploma University of Applied Sciences and was appointed to a newly created research professorship in the department for Health & Psychology for the university.

Rolfing
Schleip has been an active rolfing instructor since 1988 and maintains a part-time private practice in Munich. He served as a member on the Board of Directors for the European Rolfing Association in Munich from 1995-1999, and on the Ethics committee from 1999-2003, as well as a member of the International Advisory Board of the Rolf Institute in Boulder from 2000-2005.

In 2006, he became the Research Director of the European Rolfing Association, a position he still holds. He also works as Vice President of Ida P. Rolf Research Foundation In 2013, he received the RISI Award for "Excellence in Research" by the Rolf Institute.

Fascia
In 2007, Schleip along with Werner Klingle initiated and organized the first Fascia Research Congress, sponsored by the National Institute of Health and hosted at Harvard Medical School. He has served on the scientific committee for all subsequent congresses (2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2022) and chaired the 2018 and 2022 congresses.

Science magazine dedicated a two-page report to this congress and in particular to Schleip titled "Cell Biology Meets Rolfing: From Rolfer to Researcher" referring to Schleip's career shift.

He has been a Founding member of the Fascia Research Society since 2011 and has served on the Board of Directors since 2020. In 2023 he received the special designation of Founding Director.

Schleip is the Director of the Fascia Research Group, a research collaboration between the University of Ulm (2007-2019) and the Technical University of Munich (2019-Present). Research from the Fascia Research Group has shown that fascia is a dynamic tissue that is responsive to mechanical forces and can impact muscle function, posture, and movement patterns. The project has published numerous scientific papers examining various aspects of fascia, including:
 * The contribution of fascia to diagnostics and injury prevention in sports medicine.
 * The deformation of thoracolumbar fascia during deadlifting and trunk extension.
 * The immediate effects of myofascial release treatment on lumbar microcirculation.
 * The influence of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization on hydration content in lumbar myofascial tissues.

Lecturer
As a lecturer, Schleip gives talks in the fields of physiotherapy, orthopedics and sports science.
 * 2005-2013 : Professor, Neurophysiology, University of Ulm.
 * 2014-Present : Visiting Professor, Medical Faculty, Institute of Sciences of the Health, Buenos Aires (Instituto Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud).
 * 2019-Present : Professor, Conservative and Rehabilitative Orthopaedics, Department of Sport and Health Sciences) at Technical University of Munich.
 * 2019-Present : Faculty Member, Diploma University of Applied Sciences.
 * 2023-Present : Professor, Health & Psychology, Diploma University of Applied Sciences.

Scientific papers
Schleip has contributed to the scientific understanding of fascia and its role in the human body throughout his career.

Active fascial contractility
Active fascial contractility refers to the ability of fascia, a type of connective tissue, to actively change its stiffness and length through cellular contraction. Unlike passive properties, where fascia simply responds to external forces, active contractility suggests that fascia can contract in a manner similar to smooth muscle, thereby playing an active role in musculoskeletal dynamics.

Biomechanical, sensory, and physiological properties of the body-wide fascia network
Tissues included encompass aponeuroses, intramuscular connective tissues, tendons, ligaments, joint capsules, septi, and retinaculae, in addition to dense irregular connective tissue sheets ("proper fasciae") such as the nuchal fascia or plantar fascia.

New methods in connective tissue research
Development of reliable examination techniques to enhance the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of connective tissue disorders. These methods aim to provide more accurate assessments of connective tissue health and functionality, leading to better clinical outcomes and advancements in therapeutic strategies.



TV documentaries

 * ARD (German TV Channel): Schleip's work on fascia has been featured in documentaries aired on October 1, 2010, and April 15, 2020.
 * ARTE (French/German TV Channel): Since 2018, ARTE has aired documentaries on the mysterious world of fascia, featuring Robert Schleip.
 * SWR (German TV Channel): Documentaries aired on October 25, 2021, and September 10, 2020, explored the "fascia boom" and included contributions from Schleip.