In the NDT approach, tone is defined as which of the following?

• A. Muscle Tension
• B. Normal Muscle Tone
• C. Tone Quality
• D. Resistance to Movement

Answer: (A)

In the NDT approach, tone refers to the resting muscle tension—the passive resistance a muscle offers to being stretched or passively moved. This baseline muscle tension reflects the neural and muscular state and is what therapists assess and modulate during handling and positioning to influence movement. So the correct concept is muscle tension.

Normal Muscle Tone is only describing a typical state, not defining tone. Tone Quality refers to how the tone feels or sounds rather than the physiological resting resistance. Resistance to Movement describes how a muscle responds during activity, which is influenced by tone but not the intrinsic resting tension that defines tone in NDT.