Building on Sir Charles Sherrington's 1906 Nobel Prize-Winning Research
The 50Hz Resting Tone Protocols
We train physical health practitioners to regard muscles as the beginning and ending of the nervous system—and to restore strength to physiology by removing irritants to afferent input.
The Neurological Foundation
The Afferent Loop
Muscles are not isolated mechanical units—they are the beginning and ending of the nervous system. Every muscle is in continuous dialogue with the spinal cord.
Afferent Input
Sensory receptors detect irritants (scars, dental interference, joint dysfunction) and send signals to the spinal cord via afferent neurons.
Spinal Processing
The spinal cord processes the input. If it detects a threat, it triggers the Withdrawal Reflex and down-regulates the motor signal to protect the system.
Efferent Output
The efferent signal—the 50Hz resting tone—determines muscle readiness and stability. Remove the irritant, restore the signal.
Clinical Application
Precision Muscle Testing
Learn to challenge the muscle's ability to maintain its 50Hz resting tone. When a muscle fails to "lock," you've found a window into the nervous system's protective response.
Precision Muscle Testing
Real-time diagnostic interface
The Protocol
- 1Challenge the Muscle
Use Precision Muscle Testing to feel for the muscle's ability to maintain its 50Hz resting tone against a stable external force. A healthy muscle will instantly adapt to resist a steadily increasing external force—a compromised muscle will fail.
- 2Identify the Irritant
If the muscle fails, the practitioner identifies and "negates" the noxious afferent input—the metaphorical "nail in the foot" triggering the Withdrawal Reflex. Negating the bad input involves changing proprioception through position, muscle contraction, pressure or stretch—temporarily as part of the diagnosis and then permanently as part of the treatment.
- 3Restore the Signal
By neutralizing the corrupted data, you restore the neurological signal, allowing the brain to re-establish the normal resting tone and strength to instantly regain functional stability.
Software, Not Hardware
The 50Hz resting tone represents the foundational neurological frequency required for muscle readiness and joint stability.
Rather than viewing muscle weakness as a structural "hardware" failure, Afferentology treats it as a software corruption—where the brain has down-regulated the resting tone of specific motor units in response to perceived threat.
When a hidden afferent irritant—such as active scar tissue or dental interference—triggers the Withdrawal Reflex, the brain inhibits the 50Hz signal to the associated musculature to protect the system.
By identifying and neutralizing the corrupted data, you restore the neurological signal, allowing the brain to re-establish the resting tone and instantly regain functional stability.
The Signal
Focus on the input (afferent) rather than just the output (strength). The muscle is a window into the nervous system.
The Irritant
Use the resting tone as a diagnostic window to find hidden stressors—scars, receptors, dental interference, and more.
The Correction
Restoring the signal immediately resets the muscle's ability to fire at the required frequency.
Training Programs
Comprehensive online courses designed for busy healthcare professionals.
Essentials of Musculospinal Reflexes
FREEStart with Sherrington's foundational principles of neuromuscular reflexes. Learn to see muscles as the beginning and ending of the nervous system, and understand how afferent input controls muscle tone.
Start the 50Hz Protocols - FREEAdvanced Clinical Protocols
Deep dive into specific irritant categories: active scars, dental interference, joint receptor dysfunction, and visceral reflexes. Master complex case management and become a certified Afferentology practitioner.
Browse All CoursesMaster the 50Hz Resting Tone Protocols
Join the growing community of practitioners who understand that muscles are the beginning and ending of the nervous system. Start your free training today.