This document discusses an alternative model for preventing strain and sprain injuries called the "positive deviant" model. It notes that a small percentage of the population is consistently uninjured and high performing, and examines what they do differently in their movement patterns and behaviors. Specifically, it highlights that positive deviants demonstrate superior balance in gravity for all actions, and trusts their kinesthetic awareness to self-correct discomfort before injury occurs. The document proposes training workers to develop these skills and reprogram their motor cortex through accelerated motor learning techniques. This aims to shift more people to the injury-free side through self-awareness, decision making, and optimal movement patterns.

1. Behaviour Change for
Primary Prevention of Strain and
Sprain Injury.
Wayne Milicich
Optimum Results Ltd
About the Milicich Method as applied to the Move@work
training programme for the workplace.

2. I would like to present a different
model; that of
the consistently uninjured/high
performing individual.
The
‘POSITIVE DEVIANT’.
They are a very small % of the
population and can be found in any
business and industry

3. P
o
p
u
l Normal ….
a Common
t
i
o
n
Agony No Pain/comfort
PAIN/S&S injury

4. Manual handling interactions.
No inert object can hurt anyone.

5. What does this small percentage of
the population demonstrate and do
differently as they execute their
day?

6. 1st .
- They have different attitudes and
thinking.
- They trust themselves first and
foremost.
- They make good choices and decisions
for themselves.

7. 2nd .
- They demonstrate an acute sense
of kinaesthetic body awareness.
- They recognise ‘discomfort’ and
‘stiffness’, (STRAIN AND SPRAIN in its
early stage) as negative feedback
and self correct to remove the
discomfort.

8. The uninjured follow this cycle as they
listen to their kinaesthetic feedback,
trust themselves, and modify their
actions to self-correct, intuitively.

9. STRAIN and SPRAIN,
MICRO TRAUMA (STIFFNESS)
Observations suggest that approximately
80% of the population are in this cycle.

10. 3rd .
- They move/function, as they
perform actions for tasks differently
from the bulk of the population.
This is an observable difference and
can be measured as a ‘Movement
Intelligence Coefficient’ . MIQ

11. P
o
p
u
l
a
t
i
o
n
Poor function Normal… Elite performer
common
Physical Performance / function
“ Movement Intelligence”

12. There are SEVEN primary observable
differences that the positive
deviants demonstrate that cover
strain and sprain for the trunk/spine,
upper and lower limb.

13. 1. How balanced they are in gravity.
2. How they use their hand.
3. How they use their shoulder/arm.
4. How they interpret sitting posture.
5. How they breathe and activate their
abdominals.
6. How they cope with stress.
7. How they step with their feet and
never twist their lumbar spine
I will discuss only one of these elements.

14. 1. They demonstrate BEST BALANCE in
gravity….. A pro-gravity movement
system in their motor cortex.
What controls the joints………

15. Demonstration for reaching and side
bending.

16. Best Balance in gravity
for all actions and activities when the base is
stationary.

17. All young children demonstrate the
pro-gravity movement system and
research show that by age 13yrs
most have changed to the
antigravity movement system.
Why this has happened is another
presentation.

18. The Solution.
I am offering a strategy and system to:
- develop body awareness
- develop self-trust and good decision
making
- re-programme the motor cortex to
function as close to optimal as possible.
(as demonstrated by the positive
deviants).

19. The training delivery process has
changed.
Subsequently people will change
their habits and begin to take self
responsibility as they now OWN the
problem and the solution.

20. The content of the training has
changed.
Now based on a physical performance
model as demonstrated by the positive
deviants with a high MIQ (and not the
bio-medical model). Using an
accelerated motor learning process to
bring about a change.

21. The success of the process is that it equips
people with the strategies, knowledge, tools
and skills to shift themselves from the
uncomfortable side of the line to the
comfortable side of the line.

22. Lets recognise and celebrate the
positive deviants and learn from them.

23. This process is applicable for Primary
Prevention and enhanced outcomes
for Rehabilitation (RTW and SAW
interventions) of Strain and Sprain
injury.

24. If you would like to know more please
contact Wayne
wayne@ops.co.nz
027 2911829
www.ops.co.nz
or come and have a chat.

25. The following examples for measuring
balance are from research that was
unable to be presented in the time
frame for the presentation.
My apologies for this. If you have
questions please contact me.

26. The people that demonstrate best balance are a small percentage
of the population and this can be measured in many ways.
One, being the ability to execute a Flat Footed Squat with the ‘pro-
gravity movement sequence’.
Percentage of able-bodied working population
able to do a Flat footed Squat
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
able
50%
unable
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Spontaneous squat Request to FF Post 20 min
squat teaching session

27. When do people unlearn this ‘pro-gravity movement
system’?
Percentage of schoolchildren aged 5-18 yrs who Percentage of school children aged 5-18 yrs able to
squated spontaneously with feet flat or on toes Squat with Feet Flat when requested
120% 120%
100% 100%
80% 80%
able
feet flat 60%
60% unable
on toes
40%
40%
20%
20%
0%
0% 5-6 yrs 7-8 yrs 9-10 yrs 11-12 13-14 16-18
5-6 yrs 7-8 yrs 9-10 yrs 11-12 yrs 13-15 yrs 16-18 yrs yrs yrs yrs

28. Percentage of school children age 5 -18 yrs able to do a
Flat Foot Squat wtih 5 mins teaching
120%
100%
80%
able
60%
unable
40%
20%
0%
5-6 yrs 7-8 yrs 9-10 yrs 11-13 yrs 13-15 yrs 16-18 yrs