The Fudge Factor

image credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pieces_of_fudge_cut_from_a_slab,_April_2008_cropped.jpg

We know from experience that it is often easier to accomplish a task faster, rather than slower (like an exercise or skiing) because of the cortex “interpolating” or making its “best guess” as to what (based on past experience) is going to happen and in what order. There is a certain amount of guess work (or what we call “the fudge factor”) involved.

Walking at a slower speed (or performing an exercise at a slower speed for that matter) has increased muscular demands, than doing it more quickly. Here is one study that exemplifies that.

“These findings may reflect a relatively higher than expected demand for peroneus longus and tibialis posterior to assist with medio-lateral foot stability at very slow speeds”

Here, they thought muscular demands would be proportional to speed, increasing with increasing demands. Like many things, what we think is going to happen and what actually happens can be 2 different things : )

Dr Ivo Waerlop, one of The Gait Guys

#fudgefactor #corticalinterpolation #muscledemands #gait #gaitguys

Gait Posture. 2014 Apr;39(4):1080-5. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2014.01.018. Epub 2014 Feb 6.

Electromyographic patterns of tibialis posterior and related muscles when walking at different speeds.

Murley GS1, Menz HB2, Landorf KB2.