Which of the following is a technique used for tone inhibition in NDT?

• A. Weight Bearing
• B. Dynamic stretching with quick bursts
• C. Electrical stimulation only during contraction
• D. Foam rolling for relaxation

Answer: (A)

Weight bearing is used for tone inhibition in Neuro-Developmental Treatment because loading joints and contacting surfaces provides strong proprioceptive input that helps calm overly active muscles and promotes more organized movement. When a person bears weight, the sensory feedback from muscles, tendons, and joints influences spinal reflexes and helps normalize muscle tone, supporting better postural alignment and movement patterns. This makes weight bearing a foundational technique for reducing abnormal tone in NDT.

Dynamic stretching with quick bursts tends to provoke rapid muscle lengthening and can trigger stretch reflexes, which may increase or worsen hypertonicity rather than inhibit it. Electrical stimulation only during contraction focuses on activating muscles rather than modulating neural tone through sensory input, so it’s not the classic approach for tone inhibition in NDT. Foam rolling targets soft tissue properties and myofascial release rather than neural tone regulation, which is the primary goal in tone inhibition within this framework.