Communication Breakdown
Information theory is an interesting way to think about the world. Claude Shannon is attributed to the initial development of the theory which essentially describes the transmission and processing of information. The telegraph is where information theory first came about after inventors realized they could more reliably transfer information across telephone lines over buried lines. Guiding clear signals and sending information reliably is difficult, and the static that accumulates between source and receiver is critical. When we move, information travels from one location to another, interpreted by our brain which sends a signal back out. Any interruption in this process and communication between regions begins to break down.
Let’s use the hand as an example. A large proportion of our interactions with the world begin with our hands or our feet. If I reach to grasp an object, the shape of my hand when I take the object in my hand dictates the shape of the rest of my arm as I go through the movement. The shape of my hand informs the rest of my body what needs to take place in order to complete the desired motion. The anticipated needs of my hand prepare me for the task and if something changes along the way, like it is fuller than I expected, I react accordingly. The need for compensation at say my elbow, shoulder or neck develops when my hand cannot accurately convey information through the system.
The foot is another area that is somewhat easy to imagine the transfer of information. By looking at the ground I interpret where my foot needs to land in order to take a successful step forward. Should I bump into someone, or the ground be uneven, the rest of my body must respond differently to prevent a fall. A heavy back squat requires optimal foot placement to push in to the ground and come up out of the hole. Unintentionally loading the outside edge of my foot now limits force production, and delivers a garbled signal that needs clarifying as it gets transmitted toward my knee and elsewhere.
Movement is more complex than I think anyone truly understands, myself included. We have developed ways to understand the world, whether it be through physics, telecommunications or optics. The same rules seem to apply to all aspects of nature. One way to interpret those rules is through information transmission. Gathering up data points, transferring them as accurately as possible so that the rest of the system can act accordingly.
